Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers set: Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, and Paula Badosa among potential stars

Thursday, 23 January 2025 at 20:33

The groups for the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers have been revealed, determining the six countries that will join China and Italy for the Finals. The 18 teams are distributed into six groups, with one host nation in each group. Only the group leaders will advance. The ties will take place over three days, starting on 7 April.

Top WTA stars could make an appearance in the tournament, including Coco Gauff for the USA, Iga Swiatek for Poland, Paula Badosa for Spain, and Elena Rybakina for Kazakhstan. These players are among the main contenders who could participate in the event and compete for a spot in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in November.

Unlike last year, only eight teams will compete in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, a change from the previous format of 12 teams. This year, a round-robin group stage will take place, featuring three matches (two singles followed by doubles).

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The six winning teams will join two pre-qualified nations, the defending champions Italy and the host nation China, with the Finals set to be held in Shenzhen after an agreement was signed this week.

“Having the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Shenzhen is a dream come true for myself and other Chinese tennis players,” said 2024 gold medallist Zheng Qinwen. “It is an honour to welcome the world’s best players to our home country, where the passion for the sport is unmatched. This event reflects the incredible progress of tennis in China and highlights how women’s sports continue to thrive here. I can’t wait to see how it inspires more young girls to pick up a tennis racket and dream big.”

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Over the coming weeks, countries will need to announce the players they will call up for the event. It will begin on 7 April, two weeks after the Sunshine Double concludes with the Miami Open and just before the clay swing kicks off at the WTA 500 Stuttgart Open.

Among the stars who could feature are Americans Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, and Madison Keys, Poland’s Iga Swiatek, Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina, and Spain’s Paula Badosa. Czechia, with Karolina Muchova and Barbora Krejcikova, stands out as another favourite, along with the 2023 champions Canada, led by Leylah Fernandez.