Group D Preview: Czech Rep, Switzerland, Germany

CZECH REPUBLIC 

Squad: Barbora Krejcikova, Marketa Vondrousova, Tereza Martincova, Katerina Siniakova, Lucie Hradecka 
Captain: Petr Pala 

Undoubtedly the leading Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas dynasty since the turn of the century, hosts and 11-time champions Czech Republic can absorb the absence of the likes of Patra Kvitova and Karolina Pliskova and still field a side containing three Olympic medallists and two Grand Slam winners in 2021. Barbora Krejcikova’s season has been the stuff of dreams: Roland Garros champion in both singles and doubles, Olympic doubles gold medallist and at a career-high No. 4 in the world, with her tandem titles coming alongside Katerina Siniakova.  

Marketa Vondrousova also left the Olympics with some heavy metal, winning singles silver to cap her third consecutive top-50 season, while the Tokyo trio are joined by competition debutant Tereza Martincova and Lucie Hradecka, a veteran of two Billie Jean King Cup final triumphs who will be in line for her first Billie Jean King Cup action since 2016. 

SWITZERLAND 

Squad: Belinda Bencic, Jil Teichmann, Viktorija Golubic, Stefanie Voegele 
Captain: Heinz Guenthardt 

Having left Tokyo with two medals around her neck, Olympic singles champion and world No. 9 Belinda Bencic will lead the Swiss charge in Prague, the 24-year-old a stalwart of the national side since 2012.  

Her silver-medal-winning doubles partner Viktorija Golubic will be at her side once more and making her case for that second singles spot with Jil Teichman, at No. 39 in the world just six spots ahead of the 29-year-old at time of writing. Stefanie Voegele, whose Billie Jean King Cup debut came back in 2005, is called in by captain Heinz Guenthardt to complete the quartet. 

GERMANY 

Squad: Angelique Kerber, Andrea Petkovic, Anna-Lena Friedsam, Jule Niemeier, Nastasja Schunk 
Captain: Rainer Schuettler 

Completing a formidable trio of sides in Group D, Germany are led by former world No. 1 Angelique Kerber, back in the side for the first time since 2018 and no stranger to tough assignments on Billie Jean King Cup duty for her nation. Now ranked No. 12 in the world, the 33-year-old has faced three former world No. 1s and six current or former top-10 players in her last 10 matches in the competition, so few players are better-equipped for the task of anchoring a side in a group as stacked as this. 

Joining Kerber is Billie Jean King Cup stalwart Andrea Petkovic, whose competition debut came back in 2010, and Anna-Lena Freidsam, part of the Qualifiers side that breezed past Brazil to send the team to Prague. Rainer Schuettler has also called in 22-year-old Jule Niemeier and 18-year-old junior Wimbledon finalist Nastasja Schunk for their first taste of the competition. 

Potential key match: Kerber (GER) v Bencic (SUI) 

A group-stage blockbuster if ever there was one, this clash could tell us a lot about the likely fate of Group D late on Day 2. Kerber v Bencic has happened in Billie Jean King Cup play before, the Swiss coming out on top in a virtuoso performance in the 2016 World Group quarter-final, where she played her part in all three vital matches in a 3-2 win on the road. Bencic leads the duo’s head-to-head 4-2 but Kerber has won two of their previous three meetings, the German undone in three sets in their last encounter in Mallorca back in 2019. 

Tie dates
Czech Republic v Germany – Centre Court, Monday 1 November, NB 17:00 CET
Germany v Switzerland – Court 1, Tuesday 2 November, NB 17:00 CET
Czech Republic v Switzerland – Centre Court, Thursday 4 November, NB 17:00 CET