Group A Preview: France, Canada, RTF

FRANCE

Squad: Alize Cornet, Caroline Garcia, Clara Burel, Fiona Ferro
Captain: Julien Benneteau

Three members of the squad that travelled to Australia in 2019 and returned with the Billie Jean King Cup trophy are back to defend their crown in Prague. In the absence of Kristina Mladenovic, their talisman in Perth who shut down a physically and mentally draining season at the start of the month, and with Pauline Parmentier having retired in 2020, the team will be led by former world No. 4 Caroline Garcia, aiming to add to her 18 match wins in Prague, and Alize Cornet, installed as the French No. 1

Joining Garcia and Cornet are Fiona Ferro, who like Cornet played her part in helping France reach the final two years ago, and 20-year-old former junior world No. 1 Clara Burel, who could make her competition debut in Prague.

CANADA

Squad: Rebecca Marino, Francoise Abanda, Gabriela Dabrowski, Carol Zhao
Interim captain: Sylvain Bruneau

Canada were a late addition to the 2021 Billie Jean King Cup Finals roster, which has presented its own challenges – not least the absence of captain Heidi El Tabakh, who is getting married. Stepping in for the Finals is former captain Sylvain Bruneau, who returns to work with a number of familiar faces in Prague.

Bruneau will be without star players Bianca Andreescu and Leylah Fernandez at the Finals as the youngsters follow Mladenovic’s lead and focus on recovery at the end of a lengthy season – not least for Fernandez, whose star turn in the Billie Jean King Cup Play-offs against Serbia proved to be the prelude to her spellbinding run to the US Open final last month. Rebecca Marino was also in fine form against Serbia back in April, and will lead the side against France and RTF alongside the returning Francoise Abanda, doubles world No. 5 Gabriela Dabrowski and Carol Zhao, called up to replace Fernandez.

RTF

Squad: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Daria Kasatkina, Veronika Kudermetova, Ekaterina Alexandrova, Liudmila Samsonova
Captain: Igor Andreev

With a squad of five top-50 players, RTF are arguably one of the strongest sides heading to Prague. Leading the way is Tokyo 2020 mixed doubles champion Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, a Roland Garros finalist as well in 2021 and back up to No. 16 in the WTA rankings, just three spots shy of the career-best she hit back in 2011. The 30-year-old is a two-time veteran of RTF final appearances twice on the losing side against the Czech Republic in 2011 and 2015, the second title clash held at The O2.

She is joined by Daria Kasatkina and Veronica Kudermetova, whose own Billie Jean King Cup careers began in 2016, and Ekaterina Alexandrova, the star of RTF’s 3-2 victory over Romania in last year’s Qualifiers as she posted two singles wins on debut. Liudmila Samsonova completes the quintet – at No. 42 in the world, quite the player to have on hand to make their debut.

Potential key match: Garcia (FRA) v Kasatkina (RTF)

A showdown between the French and RTF No. 2s in the opening match could set the tone in what may be the group decider, should both teams come out on top against Canada. This would be the third meeting between the duo, with both players having taken a win apiece to date: Garcia, who partnered Kristina Mladenovic to the decisive doubles victory over Australia in the 2019 final, eased to a 6-2 6-2 victory in Wuhan in 2019, but it was the world No. 28 who came out on top in San Jose 3-6 7-5 6-3 earlier this season.

Tie dates 

France v Canada – Centre Court, Monday 1 November, 10:30 CET
RTF v Canada – Court 1, Tuesday 2 November, 10:30 CET
France v RTF – Centre Court, Wednesday 3 November, 10:30 CET

Buy you tickets here:
Ticketmaster (includes Court 1 ties)
Ticketportal (includes four-day Group Stage pass)