Billie Jean King Cup
Current season, competition or edition: 2024 Billie Jean King Cup | |
 | |
| Sport | Tennis |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1963 |
| No. of teams | 8 (World Group) 99 (total 2016)[1] |
| Countries | ITFmember nations |
| Most recent champion(s) |  Canada(1st title) |
| Most titles |  United States(18 titles) |
| Official website | billiejeankingcup |
| Women's pro tennis |
|---|
|
|
TheBillie Jean King Cup(or theBJK Cup) is the premier international team competition in women's tennis, launched as theFederation Cupin1963to celebrate the 50th anniversary of theInternational Tennis Federation(ITF). The name was changed to theFed Cupin 1995, and changed again in September 2020 in honor of formerWorld No. 1Billie Jean King.[2][3]The Billie Jean King Cup is the world's largest annual women's international team sports competition in terms of the number of nations that compete.[4][5]The current chair isKatrina Adams.[6]
TheCzech Republicdominated the BJK Cup in the 2010s, winning six of ten competitions in the decade. The men's equivalent of the Billie Jean King Cup is theDavis Cup,and the Czech Republic, Canada, Australia, Russia and the United States are the only countries to have held both Cups at the same time.
History
[edit]
In 1919,Hazel Hotchkiss Wightmanhad an idea for a women's team tennis competition. This was not adopted but she persisted, presenting a trophy at the 1923 annual contest between the United States and Great Britain, named theWightman Cup.
Nell Hopman,wife of the legendaryAustralian Davis CupCaptainHarry Hopman,later took up Mrs Wightman's original idea. In 1962, a British resident of the United States,Mary Hardwick Hare,presented a dossier proving that support for such an event was overwhelming, persuading the ITF that it was a 'good idea' to have a team championship played over one week in a different venue each year. 40 years after Wightman's idea of a women'sDavis Cup,it became a reality. In 1963, the ITF launched the Federation Cup to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Open to all nations the competition became a resounding success.
Theinaugural eventattracted 16 countries. The competition was supported by the top players right from the start. Held at theQueen's Club,in London, the first contest was betweenAustraliaand theUnited States.Grand SlamchampionsDarlene Hard,Billie Jean King,Margaret SmithandLesley Turnerall proudly representing their country on court. The United States would emerge the champion nation in the opening year. However, it was to be Australia in the early years, winning seven of the next eleven championships. Around 1980 the United States was able to establish some significant mark on the competition setting in future years a very high standard for others to compete against.
The first Federation Cup had attracted 16 entry teams, despite no prize money and teams having to meet their own expenses. When sponsorship became available, the number of teams expanded dramatically, first by theColgateGroup in1976,and, from1981to1994by the Japanese communications and computer giantNEC.In 1994, there were 73 nations competing, with the host nation of a Federation Cup week was now being required to build a special tennis complex, giving rise to what became known as the Federation Cup "legacy." The additional costs of each event could be offset with the host nations viewing their involvement as providing an opportunity to boost their national game.
For the1992,a regional group qualifying format was introduced. In 1995, the event's name was shortened to the Fed Cup, and a new home-and-away format was adopted as per the Davis Cup, so that women could play for their country in their own country. There have been a number of smaller changes to the format since 1995. The format change implemented in 2005 incorporates an eight Nation World Group I and eight nation World Group II both playing home-and-away over three weekends throughout the year. Three regional groups compete and there are promotions and relegations based on results.
The 2021 edition is set to have US$12 million in prize money.
Format
[edit]Competition
[edit]While many nations enter the BJK Cup each year, only 16 countries qualify for the elite World Group and World Group II each year (eight in World Group and eight in World Group II).[7]
They reach World Group and World Group II as follows:
- (a) World Group – the four nations that win their World Group first round tie remain in the World Group for the following year. First round losers contest the World Group play-offs against the four winning nations from World Group II to determine relegation/promotion for the following year's competition. (The four nations that win World Group play-offs will be in the World Group the following year, while the four losers will start the following year in World Group II.)
- (b) World Group II – the four nations that win their World Group II ties will compete in the World Group I Play-Offs to determine relegation/promotion for the following year, as described above. Similarly the four nations that lose their World Group II ties will face winning nations from Group I Zonal competitions, in the World Group II play-offs, to determine relegation/promotion. (The four nations that win their World Group II play-offs will be in World Group II the following year, while the four losers will begin the next year in Group I Zonal events.)
Once in the World Group or World Group II, four nations will be seeded in each. The decision as to which nations will be seeded is made by the BJK Cup Committee, according to the ITF BJK Cup Nations Ranking.
At the levels below the World Group and World Group II, the BJK Cup nations compete in Zonal Competition events, which are split into three zones: The Americas Zone, the Asia/Oceania Zone and the Europe/Africa Zone. In each zone there are two groups, Group I being the higher and Group II the lower, except for the Europe/Africa Zone, which also has a Group III.
Within the Group zonal regions, teams are split into pools and play against each other in a round robin format. The exact format of each Group event, and promotion and relegation between them, varies according to the number of participating teams. Two teams are always promoted from Europe/Africa Group I to that year's World Group II Play-Offs, while one team each go to the World Group II Play-Offs from Americas Group I and Asia/Oceania Zone Group I.
Current structure
[edit]This structure has been implemented since 2016.[7][8]
| Level | Group(s) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | World Group I 8 countries | ||
| World Group I Playoff 4 countries from World Group I+4 countries from World Group II | |||
| 2 | World Group II 8 countries | ||
| World Group II Playoff 4 countries from World Group II+2 countries from Group One Euro/African Zone | |||
| 3 | Group One American Zone 8 countries |
Group One Euro/African Zone 15 countries |
Group One Asia/Oceania Zone 7 countries |
| 4 | Group Two American Zone 11 countries |
Group Two Euro/African Zone 7 countries |
Group Two Asia/Oceania Zone 15 countries |
| 5 | Group Three Euro/African Zone 16 countries |
||
Ties
[edit]In World Group and World Group II, and World Group and World Group II Play-off ties, each tie is contested in a best of five matches format, and is played across two days. On the first day there are two singles matches, and then the reverse singles matches take place on the following day. The final match is a doubles.
In Zonal Groups I, II and III, ties are played over the best of three matches (two singles and a doubles).
The First Round Ties in the World Group and World Group II are played on a home and away knock-out basis, and take place over a weekend in the early part of the year.
World Group Semi-finals and Final are played over on a home and away knock-out basis, and take place over a weekend in July (Semi-finals) and September (Final).
Play-off ties for World Group and World Group II will also be played on a home and away knock-out basis taking place in July.
The choice of ground for First Round, Semi-finals and Play-off ties is decided by lot or goes automatically to one of the competing nations.
As Groups I, II and III are played in a round robin format in all three zones, each event takes place at a single venue over one week. These are held in the first half of the year (to allow promotion of teams to the World Group II Play-off ties in the second half of the year), and dates and venues are decided by the BJK Cup Committee.
Records and statistics
[edit]List of championship finals
[edit]
Performance by country
[edit]| Country | Years won | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| United States
|
1963,1966,1967,1969,1976,1977,1978,1979,1980,1981,1982,1986,1989,1990,1996,1999,2000,2017(18) | 1964,1965,1974,1985,1987,1991,1994,1995,2003,2009,2010,2018(12) |
 CzechoslovakiaCzech Republic
|
1975,1983,1984,1985,1988,2011,2012,2014,2015,2016,2018(11) | 1986(1) |
 Australia
|
1964,1965,1968,1970,1971,1973,1974(7) | 1963,1969,1975,1976,1977,1978,1979,1980,1984,1993,2019,2022(12) |
 Soviet Union Russia RTF
|
2004,2005,2007,2008,2020–21(5) | 1988,1990,1999,2001,2011,2013,2015(7) |
 Spain
|
1991,1993,1994,1995,1998(5) | 1989,1992,1996,2000,2002,2008(6) |
 Italy
|
2006,2009,2010,2013(4) | 2007,2023(2) |
 France
|
1997,2003,2019(3) | 2004,2005,2016(3) |
 West GermanyGermany
|
1987,1992(2) | 1966,1970,1982,1983,2014(5) |
 Switzerland
|
2022(1) | 1998,2020–21(2) |
 South Africa
|
1972(1) | 1973(1) |
 Belgium
|
2001(1) | 2006(1) |
 Slovakia
|
2002(1) | – |
| Canada
|
2023(1) | – |
 Great Britain
|
– | 1967,1971,1972,1981(4) |
 Netherlands
|
– | 1968,1997(2) |
 Serbia
|
– | 2012(1) |
 Belarus
|
– | 2017(1) |
Source:[10]
Titles by country (since 1995)
[edit]| Country | Titles | First | Last |
|---|---|---|---|
| Czech Republic
|
6 | 2011 | 2018 |
| RussiaRTF
|
5 | 2004 | 2021 |
| Italy
|
4 | 2006 | 2013 |
| United States
|
4 | 1996 | 2017 |
| France
|
3 | 1997 | 2019 |
| Spain
|
2 | 1995 | 1998 |
| Belgium
|
1 | 2001 | |
| Slovakia
|
1 | 2002 | |
| Switzerland
|
1 | 2022 | |
| Canada
|
1 | 2023 | |
Results by country in BJK Cup Finals
[edit]| Country | Yrs | Won | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia |
4 | 0 | SF | F | RR | QF |
| Belarus |
1 | 0 | RR | susp. | susp. | susp. |
| Belgium |
2 | 0 | RR | RR | DNQ | DNQ |
| Canada |
4 | 1 | RR | RR | W | QF |
| Czech Republic |
4 | 0 | RR | SF | SF | QF |
| France |
2 | 0 | RR | DNQ | RR | DNQ |
| Germany |
3 | 0 | RR | DNQ | RR | 1R |
| Great Britain |
2 | 0 | DNQ | SF | DNQ | 1R |
| Italy |
3 | 0 | DNQ | RR | F | QF |
 Japan |
1 | 0 | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 1R |
 Kazakhstan |
2 | 0 | DNQ | RR | RR | DNQ |
 Poland |
3 | 0 | DNQ | RR | RR | 1R |
 Romania |
1 | 0 | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | 1R |
| Russia |
1 | 1 | W | susp. | susp. | susp. |
| Slovakia |
3 | 0 | RR | RR | DNQ | 1R |
 Slovenia |
1 | 0 | DNQ | DNQ | SF | DNQ |
| Spain |
4 | 0 | RR | RR | RR | 1R |
| Switzerland |
3 | 1 | F | W | RR | DNQ |
| United States |
4 | 0 | SF | RR | RR | 1R |
Team records
[edit]- Consecutive titles
- All-time: 7,United States,1976–1982
- All-time: 7,
- Consecutive finals appearances
- All-time: 8,Australia,1973–1980
- All-time: 8,
- Most number of games in a tie
- Best of Five Format: 162,France4–1Japan,1997 World GroupFirst Round
- Best of Three Format: 104,Canada2–1Switzerland,1977Consolation Second Round
- Best of Five Format: 162,
- Years present in BJK Cup Finals
Individual records
[edit]- Youngest player
- Denise Panagopoulou;
Greece;12 years, 360 days1
- Denise Panagopoulou;
- Oldest player
- Gill Butterfield;
Bermuda;52 years, 162 days
- Gill Butterfield;
- Most rubbers played
- Most ties played
- Most rubbers won
- Total: 72, Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, Spain
- Singles: 50, Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, Spain
- Doubles: 38,Larisa Savchenko-Neiland,Soviet Union/
Latvia
- Longest rubber
- 2016 World GroupFirst Round:Richèl Hogenkamp,NetherlandsdefeatedSvetlana Kuznetsova,Russiain 4 hours, 7–6(7–4),5–7, 10–8.[11]
- 2016 World GroupFirst Round:Richèl Hogenkamp,
- Most successful captain
- Petr Pála;6 titles,Czech Republic
- Petr Pála;6 titles,
1Players must now be aged 14 and over
Heart Award
[edit]The Heart Award is the ITF's annual "MVP" award related to the Billie Jean King Cup, which "aims to recognise players who have represented their country with distinction, shown exceptional courage on court and demonstrated outstanding commitment to the team."[12]The award was inaugurated in 2009.
Current rankings
[edit]For more information, seeITF rankings
| ITF Billie Jean King Cup Nations Ranking, as of 10 December 2023[update] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| # | Nation | Points | Move† |
| 1 | Canada |
1,117.07 |  5
|
| 2 | Australia |
1,093.32 | 
|
| 3 | Switzerland |
1,072.15 |  2
|
| 4 | Czech Republic |
1020.32 | 1
|
| 5 | Italy |
985.00 | 3
|
| 6 | France |
980.84 | 2
|
| 7 | Spain |
974.04 | 4
|
| 8 | United States |
881.94 | 1
|
| 9 | Kazakhstan |
864.57 | 2
|
| 10 | Germany |
804.52 |
|
| 11 | Slovakia |
757.07 |
|
| 12 | Romania |
702.27 | 5
|
| 13 | Belgium |
682.50 |
|
| 14 | Slovenia |
672.26 | 4
|
| 15 | Great Britain |
671.71 | 1
|
| 16 |  Brazil |
670.78 | 1
|
| 17 | Poland |
657.56 | 5
|
| 18 |  Ukraine |
653.93 | 2
|
| 19 |  Mexico |
637.85 | 1
|
| 20 | Japan |
608.85 | 1
|
†Change since previous ranking update
Source:[13]
Broadcasters
[edit]| Country/region | Broadcaster | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Pay | Summary | Ref | |
| International | ITF | Qualifiers matches live on Fed Cup TV | [14] | |
| Australia
|
Nine | beIN Sports |
|
[15] |
| France
|
France Televisions | |||
 Argentina
|
TyC Sports,Cable Sport,CVC Sports,TeleRed Sports,One Sports,TVD Sports | Selected matches live | ||
| Belarus
|
Belteleradio | Belarus matches only | ||
| Belgium
|
VRT(Dutch) | Belgium matches only | ||
| RTBF(French) | ||||
| Brazil
|
DAZN | Selected matches, including all Brazil team and at the finals round | [16] | |
| Canada
|
Sportsnet | [17] | ||
 Colombia
|
Win Sports | [18] | ||
| Czech Republic
|
ČT Sport | |||
| Germany
|
DOSB | Live on Sportdeutschland.TV | ||
| Italy
|
SuperTennis | Selected matches live | ||
| Japan
|
Wowow | Selected matches live, including Japan team | ||
| Kazakhstan
|
QAZTRK | |||
| Latvia
|
Lattelecom | Lattelecom: live on Best4Sport channel | ||
| Netherlands
|
Ziggo | Selected matches, including all Netherlands team and at the finals round onZiggo Sport | ||
 Paraguay
|
Pro Star,Teledeportes,TV Deportes,Montelindo Producciones,Capiatá TV Cable | Selected matches live | ||
| Romania
|
RCS & RDS | Selected matches live, including Romania team | ||
| Telekom Romania | ||||
| Russia
|
Match TV | Selected matches live, including Russia team | ||
| Slovakia
|
RTVS | Slovakia matches only, live on:2 | ||
| Spain
|
RTVE | Spain matches only | ||
| Switzerland
|
SRG SSR | Switzerland matches only | ||
| United Kingdom
|
BBC | BT Sport | GB matches only | |
| LTA | ||||
 Uganda
|
TPA Sports | All matches | ||
| United States
|
Tennis Channel | Selected matches live | ||
 Uruguay
|
Tenfield,Teledeportes,TV Deportes,El Tanque Producciones,Las Piedras TV Cable, | Selected matches live | ||
 Uzbekistan
|
TBA | All matches live | ||
See also
[edit]
- Junior Davis Cup and Junior Billie Jean King Cup
- International Tennis Federation
- Davis Cup
- Hopman Cup
- Wightman Cup
- United Cup
References
[edit]- ^"Fed Cup Number of Nations Participating per Year".fedcup.ITF.Archivedfrom the original on March 4, 2016.RetrievedJanuary 15,2016.
- ^Clarey, Christopher (September 17, 2020)."In a Fitting Tribute, the Fed Cup Is Renamed After Billie Jean King".The New York Times.Archived fromthe originalon September 17, 2020.RetrievedSeptember 23,2020.
- ^"About Us".BillieJeanKingCup.Archivedfrom the original on September 23, 2020.RetrievedSeptember 23,2020.
- ^Glenday, Craig, ed. (2008).Guinness World Records 2008.Bantam Books. pp.497.ISBN9780553589955.
- ^"About Fed Cup by BNP Paribas".itftennis.ITF.Archivedfrom the original on February 27, 2016.RetrievedJanuary 13,2016.
- ^"FED CUP COMMITTEE".Fed Cup.Archivedfrom the original on July 2, 2017.RetrievedJanuary 26,2018.
- ^ab"Fed Cup Format".fedcup.ITF.Archivedfrom the original on March 4, 2016.RetrievedJanuary 13,2016.
- ^"Fed Cup Rules & Regulations".fedcup.ITF.January 13, 2016.Archivedfrom the original on March 5, 2016.RetrievedJanuary 13,2016.
- ^(G) – Grass, (C) – Clay, (H) – Hard, (Cp) – Carpet, (Ix) – Indoor
- ^"Billie Jean King Cup Champions".ITF.Archived fromthe originalon February 20, 2023.RetrievedJanuary 13,2016.
- ^Erik Gudris (February 6, 2016)."Hogenkamp Wins Longest Ever Fed Cup Match Over Kuznetsova".Tennisnow.Archivedfrom the original on April 8, 2016.RetrievedFebruary 6,2016.
- ^"Billie Jean King Cup- Heart Award".Billie Jean King Cup.International Tennis Federation.Archived fromthe originalon September 23, 2021.RetrievedNovember 13,2022.
- ^"Nations Ranking".billiejeankingcup.International Tennis Federation. Archived fromthe originalon November 10, 2021.RetrievedNovember 12,2021.
- ^"WHERE TO WATCH THE FED CUP QUALIFIERS".Fed Cup.February 3, 2020.Archivedfrom the original on February 5, 2020.RetrievedFebruary 5,2020.
- ^"Tennis Australia and Nine Network sign landmark rights deal".Tennis Australia.Archivedfrom the original on February 5, 2020.RetrievedFebruary 5,2020.
- ^"DAZN ANUNCIA TRANSMISSÃO EXCLUSIVA DA 1ª FASE DA FED CUP DISPUTADA NO BRASIL".DAZN(in Brazilian Portuguese). January 20, 2020.Archivedfrom the original on February 5, 2020.RetrievedFebruary 5,2020.
- ^"Tennis on TV".Tennis Canada.Archivedfrom the original on December 14, 2019.RetrievedFebruary 5,2020.
- ^"Win Sports | El canal oficial de la Liga y todo el Fútbol Profesional Colombiano".winsports.co.Archivedfrom the original on February 5, 2020.RetrievedFebruary 5,2020.
External links
[edit]
| |
| Editions by year |
|
| World Group / Finals | |
| Qualifying rounds | |
| Play-offs | |
| World Group II | |
| 2024 BJK Cup finalsteams | |
| Former World Group teams (in the current format, since 1995) | |
| Players | |
Billie Jean King CupAmericas Zone | |
|---|---|
| 2020–21 Americas ZoneGroup I teams | |
| 2022 Americas Zone Group II teams | |
| Editions of the Billie Jean King Cup Americas Zone | |
Billie Jean King CupAsia/Oceania Zone | |
|---|---|
| 2022 Asia/Oceania ZoneGroup I teams | |
| 2022 Asia/Oceania Zone Group II teams | |
| Editions of the Billie Jean King Cup Asia/Oceania Zone | |
Billie Jean King CupEurope/Africa Zone | |
|---|---|
| 2022 Europe/Africa ZoneGroup I teams | |
| 2022 Europe/Africa Zone Group II teams | |
| 2022 Europe/Africa Zone Group III teams | |
| Editions of the Billie Jean King Cup Europe/Africa Zone | |
| Basics |
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