Swiatek, Pegula, Haddad Maia and Svitolina set for international duty
15/03/2024 16:50
The players competing in the 2024 Billie Jean King Cup by Gainbridge Qualifiers have been announced.
By Ed Pearson
The Qualifiers, which will take place on 12-13 April, feature 16 teams. The eight winners will advance to November’s season-ending BJK Cup Finals in Seville.
Australia v Mexico – Pat Rafter Arena, Brisbane, Australia
Australia, who announced their team on Wednesday, will be looking to give new skipper Sam Stosur the perfect start to her time in charge of her national side.
Arina Rodionova rejoins the team for the first time since 2017 and will be joined by Daria Saville, Storm Hunter, Taylah Preston and doubles specialist Ellen Perez.
Mexico will be led by Fernanda Contreras with support in singles from Marcela Zacarias and Fernanda Navarro. Doubles specialist Giuliana Olmos completes the team.
Switzerland v Poland – Swiss Tennis Arena, Biel, Switzerland
Switzerland and Poland go head-to-head for a third time, with the Poles having come out on top the last time the two sides met in 2015.
Heinz Guenthardt will be without his tried and tested No. 1 Belinda Bencic, who is taking time away from the game as she waits to welcome her first child.
In her stead, Viktorija Golubic, Celine Naef, Simona Waltert and Jil Teichmann will be looking to replicate the form that saw them crowned champions just two years ago in Glasgow.
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek has been named in the Polish team and will be looking to improve upon her five-match win streak in singles as she competes in her country’s colours for the first time since 2022.
Swiatek, who last lost in the competition in 2019, will be joined by Magdalena Frech, Magda Linette, Katarzyna Kawa and Maja Chwalinska.
France v Great Britain – Le Chaudron, Le Portel, France
Two familiar foes will go head-to-head in Le Portel as the hosts look to complete back-to-back Qualifiers victories over their British opponents.
France have named a strong side, full of experience and youth. Caroline Garcia, Clara Burel, Diane Parry and Kristina Mladenovic will be hoping they can book their country’s place in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals.
Anne Keothavong has named her strongest side available for the trip over the English Channel. World No. 27 Katie Boulter will be joined by Harriet Dart, Heather Watson and Emma Raducanu.
USA v Belgium – USTA National Campus, Orlando, USA
The home team might be without Coco Gauff, but they have enough strength in depth to look like formidable foes for the visiting Belgian side.
Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys and the in-form Emma Navarro will all be pushing for singles places, while Taylor Townsend and Caroline Dolehide will likely be new US captain Lindsay Davenport’s doubles duo.
Belgium’s Sofia Costoulas, Hanne Vandewinkel, Marie Benoit and Kimberley Zimmermann will have to pull off a serious upset to derail the Americans on home soil.
Japan v Kazakhstan – Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, Japan
Former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka returns to the competition for the first time since becoming a mother. The Japanese star last competed in her country’s colours in February 2020. She will be joined by Nao Hibino, Mai Hontama, Ena Shibahara and Shuko Aoyama.
Kazakhstan will be without their talismanic player, Elena Rybakina, but will still prove more than a handful with Yulia Putintseva, Zhibek Kulambayeva, Aruzhan Sagandikova, Anna Danilina and Zarina Diyas.
Brazil v Germany – Ginasio Ibirapuera, Sao Paulo, Brazil
These two teams know each other well having played in last year’s Qualifiers, but Brazil will be hoping that home advantage pays dividends this time round.
Beatriz Haddad Maia will spearhead the hosts’ attack with support from Laura Pigossi, Carolina Alves, Luisa Stefani and Ingrid Martins.
The German team features another world No. 1 returning as a mother with Angelique Kerber part of her country’s side for the first time since April 2022. She will line up alongside Tatjana Maria, Laura Siegemund and Anna-Lena Friedsam.
Slovakia v Slovenia – Peugeot Arena in NTC, Bratislava, Slovakia
A full-strength home team will look to secure a spot in the BJK Cup Finals for the first time since 2022 when they take on Slovenia next month.
Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, Rebecca Sramkova, Viktoria Hruncakova, Renata Jamrichova and Tereza Mihalikova feels like a tried and tested line-up for long-time Slovakian skipper Matej Liptak.
Slovenia, who stunned everyone by reaching the semi-finals at last year’s BJK Cup Finals in Seville, will be missing one of their key players in the shape of Kaja Juvan, who hasn’t played since the Australian Open in January.
Tamara Zidansek, Veronika Erjavec, Pia Lovric, Nina Potocnik and Ela Nala Milic will instead try to emulate last season’s form.
Ukraine v Romania – Amelia Island, Fernandina Beach, USA
Ukraine and Romania are going head-to-head on neutral ground and the Ukrainians will be looking to score a first win against Romania in more than 20 years.
Elina Svitolina, whose Foundation is actually staging the event, will spearhead a line-up that also includes Lesia Tsurenko, Liudmyla Kichenok, Nadiia Kichenok and Yuliia Starodubtseva.
Romania's line-up is notable for the inclusion of Simona Halep - who hasn't competed in any tennis events since the 2022 US Open following a suspension from the sport.
Halep has been named alongside Ana Bogdan, Jaqueline Cristian, Anca Todoni and Mara Gae.
