Martinez tours Seville's Estadio de La Cartuja ahead of Billie Jean King Cup Finals
23/10/2023 15:26
Tournament Director Conchita Martínez visited Seville’s Estadio de La Cartuja this morning as preparations for the 2023 Billie Jean King Cup by Gainbridge Finals intensify. The iconic stadium is gearing up to provide both players and fans with an unforgettable experience
By Charlotte Lockie
Anticipation is building and preparations are intensifying as Seville's Estadio de La Cartuja undergoes a stunning transformation ahead of the 2023 Billie Jean King Cup by Gainbridge Finals.
Conchita Martínez, Tournament Director for the 2023 Finals and legend of Spanish tennis, toured the venue earlier today alongside members of the operations team and representatives of the ITF.
From 7-12 November, the 12 best teams on the planet will gather in the heart of Andalusia to compete for the coveted title of world champions. The transformation of this iconic venue aims to make it a fitting stage for an international sporting spectacle.
The 2023 Billie Jean King Cup Finals will feature two purpose-built stadiums, with capacities of 4,000 and 1,500, where thrilling ties are set to unfold. In addition to these match venues, three indoor rebound ace-surfaced training courts will be available to teams.
Event organisers are also working diligently to adapt various facilities within the stadium, including changing rooms for the 12 participating teams, referees and assistants’ areas, catering amenities, commercial zones, fan zones, press areas, spaces for medical services, access points and the TV compound.
With some teams arriving early to acclimatise to the conditions and training facilities, the goal is to provide a welcoming environment, ensuring the competing teams feel at home.
Martínez, a five-time Billie Jean King Cup champion, was appointed Tournament Director for the Finals in July and she expressed her delight after taking a look at the ongoing preparations.
“I leave very satisfied with the visit that I have made, seeing all facilities and amenities coming together that will host the event. It has been a pleasure to see everything progress excellently,” she said.
“Extensive adaptation work is being carried out that requires a great deal of coordination between various departments. I leave this visit with the certainty that both players and fans will live an unforgettable few days.”
Billie Jean King Cup, formerly known as the Fed Cup, is the largest annual international women’s team competition in sport, with a record 134 nations entering the tournament this year. Celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2023, Billie Jean King Cup continues to evolve as a platform for the growth of women’s tennis worldwide.
This year, Seville takes the baton from Glasgow, which hosted the 2022 finals. Twelve months ago, Switzerland emerged victorious following a showdown with Australia in the final and the 2023 Finals promise to be as equally thrilling from the outset.
The 12 participating teams in the 2023 Finals have been divided into four groups of three, with only the group winners advancing to the semi-finals. This format places an emphasis on each set played and the strategic prowess of team captains, making it an intense and fast-paced competition condensed into just six days.
