Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers 2023: Great Britain vs France preview, schedule, teams and how to watch
• 3 MINUTE READ
Find out everything you need to know about Great Britain's qualifying clash with France in the Bille Jean King Cup.
When are the Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers 2023?
This year’s qualifiers will take place from Friday 14 to Saturday 15 April.
Great Britain’s tie against France will be a best of five match contest over two days – with the winners going through to the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in November.
Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers team selection
|
Great Britain |
France |
|
Captain: Anne Keothavong |
Captain: Julien Benneteau |
|
Harriet Dart (world No.138) |
Caroline Garcia (world No.5) |
|
Katie Boulter (world No.154) |
Alize Cornet (world No.70) |
|
Heather Watson (world No.169) |
Clara Burel (world No.111) |
|
Alicia Barnett (doubles world No.67) |
Kristina Mladenovic (world No.143) |
|
Olivia Nicholls (doubles world No.69) |
|
The draw
Friday 14 April
- Katie Boulter (GBR) vs Caroline Garcia (FRA)
- Harriet Dart (GBR) vs Alize Cornet (FRA)
Saturday 15 April
- Alicia Barnett & Olivia Nicholls (GBR) vs Caroline Garcia & Kristina Mladenovic (FRA)
- Harriet Dart (GBR) vs Carolina Garcia (FRA)
- Katie Boulter (GBR) vs Alize Cornet (FRA)
How to watch Great Britain vs France Billie Jean King Cup Qualifier
You can watch live coverage of Great Britain vs France in the Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers on the BBC Sport website and via BBC iPlayer. The tie will also be broadcast live on the Tennis Channel in the UK.
Where is Great Britain vs France taking place?
The Billie Jean King Cup will be heading to Coventry this year at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
Match schedule
Action on day one (Friday 14 April) will get underway at 14:00 – with two singles rubbers scheduled.
Day two (Saturday 15 April) will start at 12:00 – with a possible three rubbers, two singles and one doubles.
Preview
Great Britain return to face France on home soil, fresh off the back of reaching the semi-finals of the 2022 Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Glasgow – the team’s best performance since 1981. The Brits finished top of their group after defeating Spain 3-0, before narrowly losing out to Australia 2-1 in the final four.
Harriet Dart returns to lead the Brits having recently claimed her first title of the season in the W40 Murska Sobota doubles. Meanwhile Katie Boulter has already sealed a third career W60 singles crown in Adelaide back in January and Heather Watson returns to the squad after her heroics in Glasgow last time around. Watson could overtake Sue Barker as fourth in Great Britain's all-time leading match winners in the competition.
Champions just four years ago, France come into this year’s competition with an experienced team and a point to prove. One of only four nations to compete in every edition of the Billie Jean King Cup – alongside Great Britain – the French side were defeated by Italy 3-1 in last year’s qualifiers before clinching victory over Netherlands in November’s play-offs.
Led by last year’s WTA Finals champion Caroline Garcia and with multiple Grand Slam doubles champion Kristina Mladenovic, the French team will be hungry to return to the 2023 Finals.
The teams last faced each other back in 1981, with Virginia Wade and Sue Barker carrying the British team to a 3-0 victory. The Brits currently lead the head-to-head 2-1.
