Photo : Srdjan Stevanovic
Finals to take place November 1-6 at Prague’s O2 Arena in the Czech Republic
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has confirmed that Canada, as the highest-ranked winning nation at the Play-Offs in April, will replace former host nation Hungary in Group A of the Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas 2021 Finals this November. Canada will compete alongside defending champions France and the Russian Tennis Federation (RTF) team.
The ITF also announced that the Billie Jean King Cup Finals will be hosted in partnership with the Czech Tennis Association and played on indoor hard courts at the O2 Arena in Prague from November 1-6, 2021. The Finals were originally scheduled to take place in Budapest, Hungary in April 2020 and twice postponed.
The following group draws remain as published: Group B (Australia, Belarus, Belgium), Group C (USA, Spain, Slovakia), and Group D, in which Czech Republic is the seeded team and will play against Germany and Switzerland.
“We are so happy and honoured that our team was selected to play in the Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas 2021 Finals,” commented Team Canada captain Heidi El Tabakh. “When we won against Serbia in April, we did not expect that we would have the opportunity to represent our country so soon in the Finals and we are very grateful for this turn of events. While the competition will certainly be tough, our team has the potential to rival anybody and we will do our very best to get the victory.
“The inclusion of our country in this year’s Finals is incredible news, not only for our team but for all of Canadian tennis,” added Tennis Canada’s Chair of the Board and ITF Billie Jean King Cup Committee Member, Jennifer Bishop. “It’s another great achievement in a long list that continues to demonstrate how far we’ve come along as a tennis nation. It wouldn’t have been possible without all the hard work put forth by our team, especially our players who are all tremendous and inspiring women. We can’t wait to see them compete in November against the best countries in the world.”
November 2021 will see both the women’s and men’s World Cup of Tennis events take place in the same month. The rescheduled Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas 2021 Finals will take place ahead of the men’s 2021 Davis Cup by Rakuten Finals from November 25 to December 5. Czech Republic has hosted previous editions of the competition at the O2 Arena in the last decade, with the national Czech Republic team winning the 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2018 Finals on home soil.
ITF President David Haggerty said: “I am already looking forward to being in Prague for the climax to the women’s team tennis season. The O2 Arena has witnessed outstanding Billie Jean King Cup action in the last 10 years, and I look forward to history being made again on court later this year. I thank the Czech Tennis Association and Czech Republic government for their collaboration and continued commitment to women’s tennis at the highest level, as well as the ITF Board and the Billie Jean King Cup Committee for their unwavering support.”
Billie Jean King, Global Ambassador said, “It’s an honour to represent this historic competition and I want to thank the ITF and the Czech Republic for doing everything in their power to stage this year’s women’s World Cup of Tennis despite the challenging circumstances. I wish each nation and every athlete the best of luck and to give your all in Prague this November as you compete for the chance for your nation to become world champions.”
Information about the Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas 2021 Finals can be found here.
Notes to Editors
Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas 2021 Finals – event information
- Dates: Monday 1 to Saturday 6 November 2021
- Venue: O2 Arena, Prague, Czech Republic
- Surface: Indoor hard courts
- No. of match courts: 2
- No. of nations: 12
- Event format: 4 Groups (A, B, C, D*) of 3 nations. Group winners progress to semi-finals and final. The 2021 world champion and runner-up earn automatic qualification for the Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas 2022 Finals. The remaining 10 nations will compete in the 2022 Qualifiers along with the winning nations of the Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas 2021 Play-Offs:
- * Group A: France (1), Russian Tennis Federation (RTF), Canada
- Group B: Australia (2), Belarus, Belgium
- Group C: USA (3), Spain, Slovakia
- Group D: Czech Republic (4), Germany, Switzerland
- Czech Republic has hosted previous editions of the competition at the O2 Arena in the last decade, with the national Czech Republic team winning the 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2018 Finals on home soil.
