Billie Jean King Cup

Billie Jean King Cup
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2024 Billie Jean King Cup
SportTennis
Founded1963; 61 years ago (1963)
No. of teams8 (World Group)
99 (total 2016)
CountriesITF member nations
Most recent
champion(s)
 Canada (1st title)
Most titles United States (18 titles)
Official websitebilliejeankingcup.com

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. 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. The current Chairperson is Katrina Adams.

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, Canada, Australia, Russia and the United States are the only countries to have held both Cups at the same time.

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 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

Competition

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).

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.

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

Records and statistics

List of championship finals

Year Winner Score Runner-up Finals Venue (surface) City Country
Federation Cup
1963  United States (1) 2–1  Australia (1) Queen's Club (G) London United Kingdom United Kingdom
1964  Australia (1) 2–1  United States (1) Germantown Cricket Club (G) Philadelphia United States United States
1965  Australia (2) 2–1  United States (2) Kooyong Club (G) Melbourne Australia Australia
1966  United States (2) 3–0  West Germany (1) Turin Press Sporting Club (C) Turin Italy Italy
1967  United States (3) 2–0  Great Britain (1) Blau-Weiss T.C. (C) West Berlin Germany West Germany
1968  Australia (3) 3–0  Netherlands (1) Stade Roland Garros (C) Paris France France
1969  United States (4) 2–1  Australia (2) Athens Tennis Club (C) Athens Kingdom of Greece Greece
1970  Australia (4) 3–0  West Germany (2) Freiburg T.C. (C) Freiburg Germany West Germany
1971  Australia (5) 3–0  Great Britain (2) Royal King's Park T.C. (G) Perth Australia Australia
1972  South Africa (1) 2–1  Great Britain (3) Ellis Park (H) Johannesburg South Africa South Africa
1973  Australia (6) 3–0  South Africa (1) Bad Homburg T.C. (C) Bad Homburg Germany West Germany
1974  Australia (7) 2–1  United States (3) Naples T.C. (C) Naples Italy Italy
1975  Czechoslovakia (1) 3–0  Australia (3) Aixoise C.C. (C) Aix-en-Provence France France
1976  United States (5) 2–1  Australia (4) The Spectrum (ICp) Philadelphia United States United States
1977  United States (6) 2–1  Australia (5) Devonshire Park (G) Eastbourne United Kingdom United Kingdom
1978  United States (7) 2–1  Australia (6) Kooyong Club (G) Melbourne Australia Australia
1979  United States (8) 3–0  Australia (7) RSHE Club Campo (C) Madrid Spain Spain
1980  United States (9) 3–0  Australia (8) Rot-Weiss Tennis Club (C) West Berlin Germany West Germany
1981  United States (10) 3–0  Great Britain (4) Tamagawa-en Racquet Club (C) Tokyo Japan Japan
1982  United States (11) 3–0  West Germany (3) Decathlon Club (H) Santa Clara United States United States
1983  Czechoslovakia (2) 2–1  West Germany (4) Albisguetli T.C. (C) Zurich Switzerland Switzerland
1984  Czechoslovakia (3) 2–1  Australia (9) Pinheiros Sports Club (C) São Paulo Brazil Brazil
1985  Czechoslovakia (4) 2–1  United States (4) Nagoya Green T.C. (H) Nagoya Japan Japan
1986  United States (12) 3–0  Czechoslovakia (1) Štvanice Stadium (C) Prague Czech Republic Czechoslovakia
1987  West Germany (1) 2–1  United States (5) Hollyburn C.C. (H) Vancouver Canada Canada
1988  Czechoslovakia (5) 2–1  Soviet Union (1) Flinders Park (H) Melbourne Australia Australia
1989  United States (13) 3–0  Spain (1) Ariake Forest Park Centre (H) Tokyo Japan Japan
1990  United States (14) 2–1  Soviet Union (2) Peachtree W.O.T. (H) Atlanta United States United States
1991  Spain (1) 2–1  United States (6) Nottingham Tennis Centre (H) Nottingham United Kingdom United Kingdom
1992  Germany (2) 2–1  Spain (2) Waldstadion T.C. (C) Frankfurt Germany Germany
1993  Spain (2) 3–0  Australia (10) Waldstadion T.C. (C) Frankfurt Germany Germany
1994  Spain (3) 3–0  United States (7) Waldstadion T.C. (C) Frankfurt Germany Germany
Fed Cup
1995  Spain (4) 3–2  United States (8) Valencia T.C. (C) Valencia Spain Spain
1996  United States (15) 5–0  Spain (3) Atlantic City Convention Center (ICp) Atlantic City United States United States
1997  France (1) 4–1  Netherlands (2) Brabant Hall (ICp) Den Bosch Netherlands Netherlands
1998  Spain (5) 3–2   Switzerland (1) Palexpo Hall (IH) Geneva Switzerland Switzerland
1999  United States (16) 4–1  Russia (3) Taube Tennis Stadium (H) Stanford United States United States
2000  United States (17) 5–0  Spain (4) Mandalay Bay Events Center (ICp) Las Vegas United States United States
2001  Belgium (1) 2–1  Russia (4) Parque Ferial Juan Carlos I (IC) Madrid Spain Spain
2002  Slovakia (1) 3–1  Spain (5) Palacio de Congresos (IH) Gran Canaria Spain Spain
2003  France (2) 4–1  United States (9) Olympic Stadium (ICp) Moscow Russia Russia
2004  Russia (1) 3–2  France (1) Ice Stadium Krylatskoe (ICp) Moscow Russia Russia
2005  Russia (2) 3–2  France (2) Court Philippe Chatrier (C) Paris France France
2006  Italy (1) 3–2  Belgium (1) Spiroudome (IH) Charleroi Belgium Belgium
2007  Russia (3) 4–0  Italy (1) Luzhniki Palace of Sports (IH) Moscow Russia Russia
2008  Russia (4) 4–0  Spain (6) Club de Campo Villa de Madrid (C) Madrid Spain Spain
2009  Italy (2) 4–0  United States (10) Circolo del Tennis (C) Reggio Calabria Italy Italy
2010  Italy (3) 3–1  United States (11) San Diego Sports Arena (IH) San Diego United States United States
2011  Czech Republic (6) 3–2  Russia (5) Olympic Stadium (IH) Moscow Russia Russia
2012  Czech Republic (7) 3–1  Serbia (1) O2 Arena (IH) Prague Czech Republic Czech Republic
2013  Italy (4) 4–0  Russia (6) Tennis Club Cagliari (C) Cagliari Italy Italy
2014  Czech Republic (8) 3–1  Germany (5) O2 Arena (IH) Prague Czech Republic Czech Republic
2015  Czech Republic (9) 3–2  Russia (7) O2 Arena (IH) Prague Czech Republic Czech Republic
2016  Czech Republic (10) 3–2  France (3) Rhénus Sport (IH) Strasbourg France France
2017  United States (18) 3–2  Belarus (1) Čyžoŭka-Arena (IH) Minsk Belarus Belarus
2018  Czech Republic (11) 3–0  United States (12) O2 Arena (IH) Prague Czech Republic Czech Republic
2019  France (3) 3–2  Australia (11) RAC Arena (H) Perth Australia Australia
Billie Jean King Cup
2020–21 RTF (5) 2–0   Switzerland (2) O2 Arena (IH) Prague Czech Republic Czech Republic
2022   Switzerland (1) 2–0  Australia (12) Emirates Arena (IH) Glasgow United Kingdom United Kingdom
2023  Canada (1) 2–0  Italy (2) Estadio de La Cartuja (IH) Sevilla Spain Spain

Performance by country

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)
 Czechoslovakia
 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, 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 Germany
 Germany
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:

Titles by country (since 1995)

Country Titles First Last
 Czech Republic 6 2011 2018
 Russia
RTF
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

Country Yrs Won 2021 2022 2023
 Australia 3 0 SF F RR
 Belarus 1 0 RR susp. susp.
 Belgium 2 0 RR RR DNQ
 Canada 3 1 RR RR W
 Czech Republic 3 0 RR SF SF
 France 2 0 RR DNQ RR
 Germany 2 0 RR DNQ RR
 Great Britain 1 0 DNQ SF DNQ
 Italy 2 0 DNQ RR F
 Kazakhstan 2 0 DNQ RR RR
 Poland 2 0 DNQ RR RR
 Russia 1 1 W susp. susp.
 Slovakia 2 0 RR RR DNQ
 Slovenia 1 0 DNQ DNQ SF
 Spain 3 0 RR RR RR
  Switzerland 3 1 F W RR
 United States 3 0 SF RR RR

Team records

  • Consecutive titles
  • Consecutive finals appearances
  • Most number of games in a tie
  • Years present in BJK Cup Finals

Individual records

1Players must now be aged 14 and over

Heart Award

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." The award was inaugurated in 2009.

Year Winner
2009 United States 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 Italy Francesca Schiavone Belgium Yanina Wickmayer Serbia Jelena Janković Brazil Maria Fernanda Alves Japan Kimiko Date-Krumm Slovenia Katarina Srebotnik
2011 Czech Republic Petra Kvitová Germany Andrea Petkovic Serbia Bojana Jovanovski Peru Bianca Botto Japan Ayumi Morita Belarus Victoria Azarenka
2012 Serbia Jelena Janković Slovakia Daniela Hantuchová Colombia Catalina Castaño China Li Na Sweden Sofia Arvidsson
2013 Italy Sara Errani Slovakia Daniela Hantuchová Brazil Paula Cristina Gonçalves Kazakhstan Galina Voskoboeva Poland Agnieszka Radwańska
2014 Germany Andrea Petkovic Poland Agnieszka Radwańska Brazil Teliana Pereira Uzbekistan Sabina Sharipova Romania Simona Halep
2015 Czech Republic Lucie Šafářová Italy Flavia Pennetta Romania Irina-Camelia Begu Paraguay Verónica Cepede Royg Thailand Tamarine Tanasugarn Turkey Çağla Büyükakçay
2016 France Caroline Garcia Chinese Taipei Hsu Ching-Wen Belarus Aliaksandra Sasnovich Argentina Nadia Podoroska Chinese Taipei Hsieh Su-wei Ukraine Kateryna Bondarenko
2017 Belarus Aliaksandra Sasnovich Germany Julia Görges Belarus Aryna Sabalenka Canada Bianca Andreescu Kazakhstan Galina Voskoboeva United Kingdom Heather Watson
2018 Czech Republic Petra Kvitová Canada Eugenie Bouchard France Kristina Mladenovic Paraguay Montserrat González Kazakhstan Yulia Putintseva Serbia Olga Danilović
2019 Australia Ashleigh Barty United Kingdom Katie Boulter Romania Simona Halep Brazil Carolina Meligeni Alves Kazakhstan Zarina Diyas United Kingdom Johanna Konta
Finals Qualifiers Play-offs Americas Group I Asia/Oceania Group I Europe/Africa Group I
2020–21 Switzerland Belinda Bencic Latvia Anastasija Sevastova Canada Leylah Fernandez Mexico Fernanda Contreras Gómez India Sania Mirza Estonia Anett Kontaveit
2022 Australia Storm Sanders Poland Iga Świątek Brazil Beatriz Haddad Maia Brazil Beatriz Haddad Maia India Ankita Raina Slovenia Kaja Juvan
2023 Canada Leylah Fernandez Canada Leylah Fernandez Ukraine Anhelina Kalinina Argentina Julia Riera South Korea Back Da-yeon Sweden Rebecca Peterson

Current rankings

For more information, see ITF rankings

ITF Billie Jean King Cup Nations Ranking, as of 10 December 2023
# Nation Points Move
1  Canada 1,117.07 Increase 5
2  Australia 1,093.32 Steady
3   Switzerland 1,072.15 Decrease 2
4  Czech Republic 1020.32 Increase 1
5  Italy 985.00 Increase 3
6  France 980.84 Decrease 2
7  Spain 974.04 Decrease 4
8   United States 881.94 Increase 1
9  Kazakhstan 864.57 Decrease 2
10  Germany 804.52 Steady
11  Slovakia 757.07 Steady
12  Romania 702.27 Increase 5
13  Belgium 682.50 Steady
14  Slovenia 672.26 Increase 4
15  Great Britain 671.71 Decrease 1
16  Brazil 670.78 Decrease 1
17  Poland 657.56 Decrease 5
18  Ukraine 653.93 Decrease 2
19  Mexico 637.85 Increase 1
20  Japan 608.85 Decrease 1

Change since previous ranking update

Source:

Broadcasters

Country/region Broadcaster
Free Pay Summary Ref
International ITF Qualifiers matches live on Fed Cup TV
 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
 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
 Canada Sportsnet
 Colombia Win Sports
 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 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


This page was last updated at 2024-02-01 17:10 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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