Jones opens Canada Cup title defence with back-to-back wins

ESTEVAN, Sask. – Defending champion Jennifer Jones is right where she wants to be after the opening day of the Canada Cup.

The Winnipeg skip sits 2-0 after downing Darcy Robertson 9-7 in Wednesday’s evening draw after opening her tournament with a 7-5 win over Calgary’s Chelsea Carey (0-2) earlier in the day.

Jones trailed by two heading into the final end, but scored three points to take the victory.

Robertson (1-1) had taken a 7-5 lead with a deuce in the eighth.

Casey Scheidegger of Lethbridge, Alta., also moved to 2-0 with a 7-5 win over Ottawa’s Rachel Homan (1-1) in evening play, while Kerri Einarson toppled Allison Flaxey 7-6 in an all-Winnipeg matchup for her first win. They both sit 1-1.

On the men’s side, Edmonton’s Brendan Bottcher beat defending champion Reid Carruthers of Winnipeg 9-5, and Calgary’s Kevin Koe downed Regina’s Matthew Dunstone 9-6.

Bottcher and Koe improved to 1-1 while Carruthers and Dunstone are winless at 0-2.

Round-robin play continues Thursday.