Voting open for Billie Jean King Cup Heart Award

The nominees have been announced for the Billie Jean King Cup Heart Award for the 2023 Qualifiers and regional Group I events, with 10 players recognised for their outstanding efforts in their national colours in April.

As always, the winners will be chosen by you, the fans. Click here to cast your votes!

Voting closes at 13:00 GMT on Friday 19 May and the winners will be announced the following week.

The Billie Jean King Cup Heart Award aims to honour players who have represented their country with distinction, shown exceptional courage on court and demonstrated outstanding commitment to the team. 

Continue reading to find out more about each of the nominees, and remember to click here to vote for your favourites.

Qualifiers

Barbora Krejcikova (CZE)
Krejcikova won one of the two matches she contested as Czechia overcame Ukraine in Antalya, winning her first singles match in the competition against Katarina Zavatska before losing a tight three-set clash to Marta Kostyuk. She also pledged to donate her fee for the tie to support the relief efforts for the recent Turkish-Syrian earthquake.

Leylah Fernandez (CAN)
Fernandez won all three matches she played during Canada’s 3-2 win against Belgium to steer the team into the Finals for the third straight year. She defeated Yanina Wickmayer in the opening match of the tie before coming from behind to beat Ysaline Bonaventure on day two. With the tie level at 2-2, she partnered Gabriela Dabrowski to a straight-sets victory in the decisive doubles match.

Kaja Juvan (SLO)
Juvan lost a three-set match from a winning position against Romania’s Ana Bogdan on day one, but recovered to win her second singles match against Jaqueline Adina Cristian before teaming with Tamara Zidansek to win the doubles match and complete a famous comeback win for Slovenia. It was her first event since announcing on social media that she would taking a step back from the tour following the death of her father in late 2022.

Tamara Zidansek (SLO)
Zidansek spent nearly eight hours on court over the three days of Slovenia’s dramatic win over Romania (which was extended an extra day due to rain), playing nine sets in total. She lost a three-set match to Jaqueline Adina Cristian on day one, before winning an epic against Ana Bogdan on day two and partnering Kaja Juvan to a famous doubles victory.

Europe/Africa Group I 

Rebecca Peterson (SWE)
Peterson led Sweden to the Play-offs for the first time since their relegation from World Group II in 2015, winning three of the four matches she played at the Europe/Africa Group I event in Antalya.

Suzan Lamens (NED)
Lamens won six of eight matches she contested in Antalya, triumphing in three of four singles matches and also winning three of four doubles matches she played alongside Demi Schuurs. She won both matches she played in the promotion play-off against Serbia. 

Asia/Oceania Group I 

Mai Hontama (JPN)
Hontama played and won the first singles match for Japan in all five of their ties at the Asia/Oceania Group I event in Tashkent, winning all her matches in straight sets and dropping just 17 games over the course of the week as the team won promotion to the Play-offs.

Back Dayeon (KOR)
Back won two of the three matches she contested on her Billie Jean King Cup debut, including a hugely important victory against China’s Zheng Wushuang, which proved crucial in securing promotion to the Play-offs for Korea, Rep.

Americas Group I

Julia Riera (ARG)
Riera won all six matches she played as Argentina enjoyed an unbeaten week at the Americas Group I event in Cucuta and won promotion the Play-offs. She dropped just one set over the course of the week.

Emiliana Arango (COL)
Arango returned to the team for the first time in three years and won all four of the matches she played in straight sets as Colombia won promotion to the Play-offs at the Americas Group I event.