Billie Jean King Cup

The Billie Jean King Cup (or the BJK Cup) is the premier international team competition in women's tennis, launched as the Federation Cup in 1963 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the International Tennis Federation (ITF). The name was changed to the Fed Cup in 1995, and changed again in September 2020 in honor of former World No. 1 Billie 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 Chairperson is Katrina Adams.[6]

Billie Jean King Cup
Current season, competition or edition:
2022 Billie Jean King Cup
SportTennis
Founded1963 (1963)
No. of teams8 (World Group)
99 (total 2016)[1]
CountriesITF member nations
Most recent
champion(s)		 Russia (5th title)
Most titles United States (18 titles)
Official websitebilliejeankingcup.com

The Czech Republic dominated 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 the Davis Cup, and the Czech Republic, Australia, Russia and the United States are the only countries to have held both Cups at the same time.

After the 2022 Russia invasion of Ukraine, the International Tennis Federation suspended Russia and Belarus from Billie Jean King Cup competitions.[7]

History
Old logo in the Fed Cup era

In 1919, Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman had 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 the Wightman Cup.

Nell Hopman, wife of the legendary Australian Davis Cup Captain Harry 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's Davis 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.

The inaugural event attracted 16 countries. The competition was supported by the top players right from the start. Held at the Queen's Club, in London, the first contest was between Australia and the United States. Grand Slam champions Darlene Hard, Billie Jean King, Margaret Smith and Lesley Turner all 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.

Petra Kvitová with the trophy for the Fed Cup winners, 2011, Moscow

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 the Colgate Group in 1976, and, from 1981 to 1994 by the Japanese communications and computer giant NEC. 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 the 1992, a regional group qualifying format was introduced. In 1995, the tournament's name was shortened to the Fed Cup, and a new home-and-away format was adopted as trialled by 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.

After the 2022 Russia invasion of Ukraine, the International Tennis Federation suspended Russia and Belarus from Billie Jean King Cup competitions.[7]

Format

Tournament

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).[8]

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

This structure has been implemented since 2016.[8][9]

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
+ 1 country from Group One Americas Zone + 1 country from Group One Asia/Oceania 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

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 second half of the year), and dates and venues are decided by the BJK Cup Committee.

Records and statistics

Performance by country
CountryWinning YearsRunner-up Years
 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)
 Czech 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 (11)
 Russia 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 (1)
 France 1997, 2003, 2019 (3) 2004, 2005, 2016 (3)
 Germany 1987, 1992 (2) 1966, 1970, 1982, 1983, 2014 (5)
 South Africa 1972 (1) 1973 (1)
 Belgium 2001 (1) 2006 (1)
 Slovakia 2002 (1) —
 Great Britain — 1967, 1971, 1972, 1981 (4)
 Netherlands — 1968, 1997 (2)
 Switzerland — 1998, 2020–21 (2)
 Serbia — 2012 (1)
 Belarus — 2017 (1)

Source:[10]

Titles by country (since 1995)
Country Titles First Last
 Czech Republic 6 2011 2018
 Russia 5 2004 2021
 United States 4 1996 2017
 Italy 4 2006 2013
 France 3 1997 2019
 Spain 2 1995 1998
 Belgium 1 2001
 Slovakia 1 2002

Results by country in BJK Cup Finals
CountryYrsWon2021
 Australia10 SF
 Belarus10 RR
 Belgium10 RR
 Canada10 RR
 Czech Republic10 RR
 France10 RR
 Germany10 RR
 Russia11 W
 Slovakia10 RR
 Spain10 RR
 Switzerland10 F
 United States10 SF

Team records
  • Consecutive titles
    • All-time: 7,  United States, 1976–1982
  • Consecutive finals appearances
    • All-time: 8,  Australia, 1973–1980
  • Most number of games in a tie
    • Best of Five Format: 162,  France 4–1  Japan, 1997 World Group First Round
    • Best of Three Format: 104,  Canada 2–1  Switzerland, 1977 Consolation Second Round
  • Years present in BJK Cup Finals
  •  Australia 1
  •  Belarus 1
  •  Belgium 1
  •  Canada 1
  •  Czech Republic 1
  •  France 1
  •  Germany 1
  •  Russia 1
  •  Slovakia 1
  •  Spain 1
  •  Switzerland 1
  •  United States 1

Individual records
  • Youngest player
    • Denise Panagopoulou;  Greece; 12 years, 360 days1
  • Oldest player
    • Gill Butterfield;  Bermuda; 52 years, 162 days
  • Most rubbers played
    • 100, Arantxa Sánchez Vicario,  Spain
  • Most ties played
    • 74, Anne Kremer,  Luxembourg
  • Most rubbers won
    • Total: 72, Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, Spain
    • Singles: 50, Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, Spain
    • Doubles: 38, Larisa Neiland,  Russia /  Latvia
  • Longest rubber
    • 2016 World Group First Round: Richèl Hogenkamp defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova in 4 hours, 7–6(7–4), 5–7, 10–8.[11]
  • Most successful captain
    • Petr Pála; 6 titles,  Czech Republic

1Players must now be aged 14 and over

Heart Award

The Heart Award is ITF's annual "MVP" award related to Fed 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.

Year Winner
2009 Melanie Oudin —
World Group SF WG / WG II play-offs WG / WG II R1 Americas ZG I Asia/Oceania ZG I Europe/Africa ZG I
2010 Francesca Schiavone Yanina Wickmayer Jelena Janković Maria Fernanda Alves Kimiko Date-Krumm Katarina Srebotnik
2011 Petra Kvitová Andrea Petkovic Bojana Jovanovski Bianca Botto Ayumi Morita Victoria Azarenka
2012 Jelena Janković Daniela Hantuchová Catalina Castaño Li Na Sofia Arvidsson
2013 Sara Errani Daniela Hantuchová Paula Cristina Gonçalves Galina Voskoboeva Agnieszka Radwańska
2014 Andrea Petkovic Agnieszka Radwańska Teliana Pereira Sabina Sharipova Simona Halep
2015 Lucie Šafářová Flavia Pennetta Irina-Camelia Begu Verónica Cepede Royg Tamarine Tanasugarn Çağla Büyükakçay
2016 Caroline Garcia Hsu Ching-Wen Aliaksandra Sasnovich Nadia Podoroska Hsieh Su-wei Kateryna Bondarenko
2017 Aliaksandra Sasnovich Julia Görges Aryna Sabalenka Bianca Andreescu Galina Voskoboeva Heather Watson
2018 Petra Kvitová Eugenie Bouchard Kristina Mladenovic Montserrat González Yulia Putintseva Olga Danilović
2019 Ashleigh Barty Katie Boulter Simona Halep Carolina Meligeni Alves Zarina Diyas Johanna Konta

Current rankings

For more information, see ITF rankings

ITF Billie Jean King Cup Nations Ranking, as of 8 November 2021
# Nation Points Move†
1  Australia1,055.50 1
2  France1,038.17 1
3  Russia1,035.74 4
4  United States953.84 1
5  Czech Republic918.05 1
6  Belarus872.08 1
7  Germany825.04 1
8   Switzerland 810.78 7
9  Canada781.01 1
10  Spain776.43 1
11  Romania747.77 3
12  Slovakia731.46 1
13  Belgium682.56 3
14  Latvia651.76 2
15  Great Britain648.30 2
16  Kazakhstan633.66 2
17  Italy619.92
18  Japan596.12
19  Poland570.31
20  Serbia558.38

†Change since previous ranking update

Source:[13]

Broadcasters
Country/region Broadcaster
Free Pay Summary Ref
International ITF Qualifiers matches live on Fed Cup TV [14]
 Australia Nine beIN Sports
  • Nine: Australia team matches only, including at the finals round
  • TBA: France team matches at the finals round only, will be announced soon
  • beIN Sports: Selected matches, including the finals round
 [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 on Ziggo 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 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

References
  1. "Fed Cup Number of Nations Participating per Year". www.fedcup.com. ITF. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 15, 2016.
  2. Clarey, Christopher (September 17, 2020). "In a Fitting Tribute, the Fed Cup Is Renamed After Billie Jean King". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 17, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  3. "About Us". BillieJeanKingCup.com. Archived from the original on September 23, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  4. Glenday, Craig, ed. (2008). Guinness World Records 2008. Bantam Books. pp. 497. ISBN 9780553589955.
  5. "About Fed Cup by BNP Paribas". itftennis.com. ITF. Archived from the original on February 27, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
  6. "FED CUP COMMITTEE". Fed Cup. Archived from the original on July 2, 2017. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  7. "Ukraine: ITF suspends Russia, Belarus from Davis, Billie Jean King Cups". Punch Newspapers. March 1, 2022.
  8. "Fed Cup Format". www.fedcup.com. ITF. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
  9. "Fed Cup Rules & Regulations". www.fedcup.com. ITF. January 13, 2016. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
  10. "Billie Jean King Cup Champions". ITF. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
  11. Erik Gudris (February 6, 2016). "Hogenkamp Wins Longest Ever Fed Cup Match Over Kuznetsova". Tennisnow.com. Archived from the original on April 8, 2016. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
  12. "Fed Cup Heart Award". www.fedcup.com. ITF. Archived from the original on May 28, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
  13. "Nations Ranking". billiejeankingcup.com. International Tennis Federation.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. "WHERE TO WATCH THE FED CUP QUALIFIERS". Fed Cup. February 3, 2020. Archived from the original on February 5, 2020. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
  15. "Tennis Australia and Nine Network sign landmark rights deal". Tennis Australia. Archived from the original on February 5, 2020. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
  16. "DAZN ANUNCIA TRANSMISSÃO EXCLUSIVA DA 1ª FASE DA FED CUP DISPUTADA NO BRASIL". DAZN (in Brazilian Portuguese). January 20, 2020. Archived from the original on February 5, 2020. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
  17. "Tennis on TV". Tennis Canada. Archived from the original on December 14, 2019. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
  18. "Win Sports | El canal oficial de la Liga y todo el Fútbol Profesional Colombiano". www.winsports.co. Archived from the original on February 5, 2020. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
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