Which teams are competing at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals 2024?
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Only a few weeks to go until the 12 best nations in the world head to Malaga for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals from 13-20 November.
The Billie Jean King Cup Finals will bring together many of the world's biggest stars, including world No.2 Iga Swiatek, this year's two-time Grand Slam runner-up Jasmine Paolini, British No.1 Katie Boulter, Jessica Pegula, Paula Badosa, Leylah Fernandez and many more...
Before all the action gets underway, here’s a breakdown of every team competing and what you need to know.
Great Britain
Best performance: Runners-up (1967, 1971, 1972 & 1981)
2023 result: Qualifiers
Journey to the Finals: Qualifiers – bt. France 3-1
Current ranking: 12
Team:
Great Britain are back in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals for the first time since their semi-final run in Glasgow two years ago.
This is arguably one of the strongest teams that GB has pulled together for the competition in some time. Katie Boulter is a two-time WTA title winner this year and has made her way into the top 30 in the world, Emma Raducanu has got back to some of her best tennis and led the Brits in the Qualifier against France, while Harriet Dart is now cemented in the WTA top 100.
Heather Watson comes in off the back of reaching the final of the Lexus W100 Shrewsbury and has had plenty of success on the doubles court this season, and British doubles No.1 Olivia Nicholls completes the team as one of the in form players on the WTA Tour right now.
The Lexus GB team face Germany in their opener on Friday 15 November. Find out more about the British team.
Australia
Best performance: Champions (1964, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1973 & 1974)
2023 result: Finals Group Stage
Journey to the Finals: Qualifiers – bt. Mexico 4-0
Current ranking: 4
Captain: Samantha Stosur
Team:
- Olivia Gadecki
- Daria Saville
- Ajla Tomljanovic
- Ellen Perez
Seven-time champions Australia are only two years removed from a runner-up finish at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Glasgow. The current fourth ranked team in the world bring a team to Malaga with a variety of singles and doubles expertise that will make them a formidable opponent for any side.
The Australians rolled through their qualifying tie against Mexico – losing just one set in four rubbers against the Mexicans to book their place in the Finals. Australia have been in the Finals every year since the tournament changed format in 2021.
At the 2024 Finals they have a bye into the quarter-finals where they will play the winner between Slovakia and USA.
Canada
Best performance: Champions (2023)
2023 performance: Champions
Journey to the Finals: Automatic qualification
Current ranking: 1
Captain: Heidi El Tabakh
Team:
- Leylah Fernandez
- Rebecca Marino
- Marina Stakusic
- Bianca Andreescu
- Gabriela Dabrowski
Canada return to Spain off the back of a historic result in 2023 – lifting the title for the first time after defeating Italy 2-0 in the final.
2021 US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez will lead her team once again after going 8-0 in her Billie Jean King Cup rubbers last year (six singles and two doubles victories). She’ll be joined by Lexus Ilkley Trophy champion Rebecca Marino, another star performer from 2023, Marina Stakusic, and also 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu on her Billie Jean King Cup comeback.
The reigning champions and No.1 ranked team will have a target on their back heading to Malaga and could face either Great Britain or Germany in their first match of the Finals.
Czech Republic
Best performance: Champions (1975, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1988, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016 & 2018)
2023 result: Semi-finals
Journey to the Finals: Automatic qualification (wild card)
Current ranking: 2
Captain: Petr Pala
Team:
- Karolina Muchova
- Linda Noskova
- Katerina Siniakova
- Marie Bouzkova
No team has dominated the Billie Jean King Cup over the last 15 years more than Czech Republic – but the 11-time champions haven’t won the title since it moved to the Finals format in 2021.
In the last two years, they have progressed from the Group Stages but lost out in semi-finals against eventual champions Switzerland (2022) and Canada (2023).
This year’s team has impressive strength and depth – including four players currently ranked inside the WTA singles top 50 and the current doubles world No.1 in Katerina Siniakova.
The Czechs have a by in the opening round and will play either Spain or Poland in the quarter-finals.
Germany
Best performance: Champions (1987 & 1992)
2023 result: Finals Group Stage
Journey to the Finals: Qualifiers – bt. Brazil 3-1
Current ranking: 8
Captain: Rainer Schuettler
Team:
- Laura Siegemund
- Jule Niemeier
- Tatjana Maria
- Eva Lys
Germany have been a main stay in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals over recent years but are yet to make it beyond the first stage – with four losses in their previous two appearances in the Finals Group Stages.
For the third time in four years, the Germans defeated Brazil in the Qualifiers to make the Finals. Laura Siegemund was the standout performer in Sao Paolo with singles victories over Beatriz Haddad Maia and Carolina Alves, adding to Tatjana Maria’s three-set win against Laura Pigossi.
Great Britain and Germany will play each other in the first round of the Finals – their first meeting in the Billie Jean King Cup since 1985, where the Brits won 3-0 in the World Group Play-Offs.
Italy
Best performance: Champions (2006, 2009, 2010 & 2013)
2023 result: Runners-up
Journey to the Finals: Automatic qualification
Current ranking: 3
Captain: Tathiana Garbin
Team:
- Jasmine Paolini
- Elisabetta Cocciaretto
- Lucia Bronzetti
- Sara Errani
- Martina Trevisan
2023 runners-up will have their eyes set on silverware this time around in Malaga – aiming to win a fifth Billie Jean King Cup trophy in the last 18 years.
Italian No.1 Jasmine Paolini is the one to watch for the Italians, coming off the back of the best season of her career having reached singles finals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, as well as winning the Olympic gold medal in doubles alongside teammate Sara Errani.
They will have a bye in the opening round before taking on the winner of Japan vs Romania.
Japan
Best performance: Semi-final (1996)
2023 result: Won World Group Play-Offs
Journey to the Finals: Qualifiers – bt. Kazakhstan 3-1
Current ranking: 15
Captain: Ai Sugiyama
Team:
- Moyuka Uchijima
- Naomi Osaka
- Nao Hibino
- Eri Hozumi
- Shuko Aoyama
Japan may be the lowest ranked team in this year’s Finals, but they will be ones to keep an eye on with an array of talent throughout Captain Ai Sugiyama’s side.
Naomi Osaka is of course the biggest name in the squad as the four-time Grand Slam champion represented her country for the first time since 2021 in their qualifying win over Kazakhstan – defeating Rothesay Classic Birmingham champion Yulia Putintseva. Moyuka Uchijima is another name to watch after the 23-year-old broke into the top 100 this year and currently sits just outside the top 50.
Japan play Romania in the first round before a potential match up with Italy.
Poland
Best performance: Quarter-final (1992 & 2015) / Finals Group Stage (2022 & 2023)
2023 result: Finals Group Stage
Journey to the Finals: Qualifiers – bt. Switzerland 4-0
Current ranking: 9
Captain: Dawid Celt
Team:
- Iga Swiatek
- Magdalena Frech
- Magda Linette
- Maja Chwalinska
- Katarzyna Kawa
Poland pulled off one of the most impressive wins of the Qualifiers against 2022 champions Switzerland – winning four straight rubbers to book their place in the Finals.
The big news is that world No.2 Iga Swiatek has just announced that she will join the team once again in November in a bid to win the nation’s first title. The announcement instantly makes Poland one of the hot favourites for this year’s competition.
They play Spain in the first match of the opening round on 13 November, which could mean a clash between Swiatek and Paula Badosa in the singles.
Romania
Best performance: Semi-final (1973 & 2019)
2023 result: Qualifiers
Journey to the Finals: Qualifiers – bt. Ukraine 3-2
Current ranking: 11
Captain: Horia-Vlad Tecau
Team:
- Jaqueline Adina Cristian
- Elena Gabriela Ruse
- Ana Bogdan
- Anca Alexia Todoni
- Monica Niculescu
This is the first time that Romania has reached the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in its current format having lost their previous three Qualifiers, having beaten Ukraine earlier this year.
One of the ties of the qualifying rounds – wins from Ana Bogdan and Jaqueline Cristian in singles and doubles saw the Romanians come back from 0-2 down to win 3-2.
Two of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals most intriguing teams – Romania and Japan – will face each other in the first round of this year’s Finals. It’s the first ever meeting between the two nations in the women’s World Cup of tennis.
Slovakia
Best performance: Champions (2002)
2023 result: Qualifiers
Journey to the Finals: Qualifiers – bt. Slovenia 4-0
Current ranking: 10
Captain: Matej Liptak
Team:
- Rebecca Sramkova
- Anna Karolina Schmiedlova
- Viktoria Hruncakova
- Renata Jamrichova
- Tereza Mihalikova
After the disappointment of narrowly losing out to eventual runners-up Italy in last year’s Qualifiers, Matej Liptak’s team have bounced back in 2024.
They have regained their place back in the Qualifiers, running out easy winners over Slovenia – with then junior world No.1 and 2024 junior Australian Open champion Renata Jamrichova clinching her second singles rubber for her country. The mix of young talent and the experience of Rebecca Sramkova and Anna Karolina Schmiedlova bring a great balance to the squad.
Slovakia have a tough test in their first round match up against the most decorated team in the history of the competition – USA.
Spain
Best performance: Champions (1991, 1993, 1994, 1995 & 1998)
2023 result: Finals Group Stage
Journey to the Finals: Automatic qualification (hosts)
Current ranking: 6
Captain: Ana-Isabel Medina Garrigues
Team:
- Paula Badosa
- Jessica Bouzas Maneiro
- Cristina Bucsa
- Nuria Parrizas-Diaz
- Sara Sorribes Tormo
Spain has a rich history of success in the Billie Jean King Cup as the dominant team of the 90s, but the Spaniards are yet to get their hands on the trophy since the turning of the millennium.
Top-ranked Spanish star Paula Badosa is back in this year’s line-up having struggled with injuries throughout much of 2023. The 26-year-old has managed to climb back up to world No.14 – winning the Mubadala Citi DC Open, reaching two WTA 1000 semi-finals and the US Open quarter-final in just the last three months.
Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, Cristina Bucsa and Nuria Parrizas-Diaz are all also ranked inside the WTA top 100.
Spain kick off against Iga Swiatek and the Polish team in the first match of the tournament in what could be a show stopping tie.
USA
Best performance: Champions (1963, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1996, 1999, 2000 & 2017)
2023 result: Finals Group Stage
Journey to the Finals: Qualifiers – bt. Belgium 3-0
Current ranking: 5
Captain: Lindsay Davenport
Team:
- Danielle Collins
- Peyton Stearns
- Ashlyn Krueger
- Taylor Townsend
- Caroline Dolehide
The most successful team in Billie Jean King Cup history head to Malaga in search of a record-extending 19th title.
While they will be without top-ranked players Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula, this USA squad is still a very strong outfit. Danielle Collins is enjoying the best year of her career at the age of 30 – where she won her first WTA 1000 title at the Miami Open.
Peyton Stearns has climbed inside the top 50 for the first time recently, Taylor Townsend won the Wimbledon doubles title this year and Caroline Dolehide also made the doubles semis at SW19 and recently won the National Bank Open.
Up first for the Americans will be Slovakia before potentially facing Australia in the quarter-finals.
