Previewing Billie Jean King Cup Finals — Who to watch out for?
By Joey Dillon
The IX: Tennis Tuesday with Joey Dillon, Sept. 17, 2024
Howdy, y’all, and Happy Tennis Tuesday! The lineups for the 2024 Billie Jean King Cup Finals were unveiled and the 12 teams battling it out are as follows:
Continue reading with a subscription to The IX
Get unlimited access to our exclusive coverage of a varitety of women’s sports, including our premium newsletter by subscribing today!
Already a member?
Login
Australia
Olivia Gadecki
Daria Saville
Ajla Tomljanovic
Ellen Perez
Captain: Samantha Stosur
Canada
Leylah Fernandez
Marina Stakusic
Rebecca Marino
Bianca Andreescu
Gabriela Dabrowski
Captain: Heidi El Tabakh
Czechia
Linda Noskova
Katerina Siniakova
Marie Bouzkova
Karolina Muchova
Captain: Petr Pala
Great Britain
Katie Boulter
Emma Raducanu
Harriet Dart
Heather Watson
Olivia Nicholls
Captain: Anne Keothavong
Germany
Tatjana Maria
Jule Niemeier
Laura Siegemund
Eva Lys
Captain: Rainer Schüttler
Italy
Jasmine Paolini
Elisabetta Cocciaretto
Martina Trevisan
Lucia Bronzetti
Sara Errani
Captain: Tathiana Garbin
Japan
Moyuka Uchijima
Naomi Osaka
Nao Hibino
Eri Hozumi
Shuko Aoyama
Captain: Ai Sugiyama
Poland
Magdalena Fręch
Magda Linette
Maja Chwalińska
Katarzyna Kawa
Captain: Dawid Celt
Romania
Jaqueline Adina Cristian
Ana Bogdan
Elena Gabriela Ruse
Alexia Anca Todoni
Monica Niculescu
Captain: Horia Tecau
Slovakia
Anna Karolina Schmiedlova
Rebecca Sramkova
Viktoria Hruncakova
Renata Jamrichova
Tereza Mihalikova
Captain: Matej Liptak
Spain
Paula Badosa Gibert
Jessica Bouzas Maneiro
Cristina Bucsa
Nuria Parrizas Diaz
Sara Sorribes Tormo
Captain: Anabel Medina Garrigues
USA
Jessica Pegula
Danielle Collins
Caroline Dolehide
Taylor Townsend
Peyton Stearns
Captain: Lindsay Davenport
Stathead Stat of the Week
Breanna Stewart is the first player in WNBA history to have 38+ points and 18+ rebounds in any game, regular season or playoffs.
Stathead is your all-access pass to the Basketball and College Basketball Reference databases. Our discovery tools are built for women’s basketball fans like you. Answer your questions in a matter of seconds.
In the past few editions of the event, formally known as Fed Cup, teams were broken into four round robin groups of three teams and would battle out for a place in the semifinals. Now, there’s still going to be 12 teams, but there will be four byes and four first round matchups that will take place November 13-15. The quarterfinals will follow November 16-17, then the semifinals November 18-19 with the championship match taking place November 20.
Personally, I’m a huge fan of the bracket-style competition because the small round robin groups left a little too much uncertainty as well as uneven matchups. Knockouts always provide extra high stakes — something that really stands out during this event. Still, even though some like to call this the “World Cup of Tennis,” it should also be noted that both Russia and Belarus will not be partaking in the event due to the ongoing war with Russia and Ukraine. Both countries, who have been among the most dominant forces in BJK Cup, remain banned from ITF team competition.
The draw was unveiled earlier this year:
First Quarter
Last year, Canada stunned the world by taking home the title and captain Heidi El Tabakh brings in most of her same squad. Leylah Fernandez and Bianca Andreescu headline the team, but Marina Stakusic was the squad’s MVP and her big debut last year snowballed into a 2024 season that sees her on the brink of the Top 100 and a WTA quarterfinal last week in Guadalajara that included an upset over Jelena Ostapenko. Factor in Rebecca Marino on an indoor court plus Canadian stalwart Gabriela Dabrowski? They could repeat, but will definitely need some assistance from other teams. The will face the winner of Germany vs. Great Britain. Great Britain is one of my sleeper picks entering Malaga. They embrace the team environment and historically, their players player much above their ranking. Germany has a decent team, but simply not one that is going to really make a dent in the draw. They’re a team that could usually take advantage of the round robin event, but a Katie Boulter and Emma Raducanu are simply too strong for the Germans, in my opinion.
Second Quarter
Australia receives the bye here and Sam Stosur’s team returns a familiar lineup with surprise Guadalajara finalist Olivia Gadecki likely to headline the squad. Firmly in the Top 100 now with a big serve and all-court game, she’s a must-win for the Aussies. Sure, Ajla Tomljanovic and Daria Saville are veterans at this rate, but their results and injuries lead a lot of question marks for the team. It also doesn’t help that my team to likely win it all, the United States, is in their section. USA faces off against Slovakia and are bringing a squad of five players that nearly are all in the Top 100 of singles and doubles. Because of the length of the event, having five players of their caliber is both a physical and psychological boost for the teams. I hate saying it, but USA will likely rout Slovakia in a quick tie, but Anna Karolina Schmiedlova could bring out the tennis she brought to the Olympics and play hero.
Third Quarter
If there is a team that historically has been a deep presence in BJK Cup play, it’s been the Czech Republic team. They are missing Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova, but U.S. Open semifinalist Karolina Muchova looks to continue her amazing comeback form and Linda Noskova aims to continue her best career season. Katerina Siniakova is the best doubles player in the world, but can also perform at a high level in singles. They will play the winner of Spain and Poland’s matchup. The home team will be happy to see that not only Paula Badosa is in her top form again, but also that Poland does not have World No. 1 Iga Swiatek in their lineup. Guadalajara champion Magdalena Frech will lead the Polish squad, but she and Magda Linette likely won’t have enough in the toolbox to outlast Anabel Medina Garrigues’ team as well as the Spanish fans. Czechia vs. Spain could go down to the final doubles match, but the Czechs shine there.
Fourth Quarter
Second-seeded Italy is another BJK Cup dynasty of the last 15 years and are spearheaded by Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani. Together, they form one of the elite doubles teams of the year, but Paolini has been utterly outstanding across all surfaces this season. Having someone of her strength to rely on will be critical as they look to reclaim the team title. In my opinion, Elisabetta Cocciaretto will be the driving force if they could go all the way, especially against the No. 2 players from Czechia and the United States. Italy will play either Japan or Romania. Both teams in the past have had stronger teams, especially Romania. However, Japan has Naomi Osaka and the likely doubles team of Eri Hozumi and Shuko Aoyama in their arsenal. That should be enough to squeeze by Romania, who have solid but “middle-tier” players, but they will need a miracle or two to cause the big upset.
The semifinals, I think the one upset likely to brew is the United States taking out Australia, but Great Britain could edge out over defending champions Canada. The bottom half should see both Czechia and Italy breezing through their quarterfinals. I see the United States not only taking their semifinal, but also the final over Czechia to not only give Lindsay Davenport a title in her debut season as captain, but sending off Danielle Collins into retirement in style.
On to links!
Want women’s hockey content? Subscribe to The Ice Garden!
Here at The IX, we’re collaborating with The Ice Garden to bring you Hockey Friday. And if you want the women’s hockey goodness 24/7? Well, you should subscribe to The Ice Garden now!
This Week in Women’s Tennis
Legendary coach Robert Landsorp, who helped change the game with his outlook on groundstrokes and guided players like Tracy Austin, Lindsay Davenport and Maria Sharapova as kids, has passed away at the age of 85.
Jelena Ostapenko and Lyudmyla Kichenok and Hsieh Su-Wei and Elise Mertens were announced as the first and second doubles teams to qualify for the WTA Finals Riyadh, respectively.
Magdalena Frech won her first WTA singles title at the WTA 500 Guadalajara Open AKRON with a win over qualifier Olivia Gadecki. The doubles title was secured by Anna Danilina and Irina Khromacheva who outlasted Oksana Kalashnikova and Kamilla Rakhimova.
At the WTA 250 Jasmin Open, Sonay Kartal won her first WTA title as a qualifier and defeated Rebecca Sramkova in the final. In doubles, Anna Blinkova and Mayar Sherif won the title over Alina Korneeva and Anastasia Zakharova.
There were two WTA 125 events on clay last week with Miriam Bulgaru taking the Tiriac Foundation Trophy in Bucharest over Kathinka von Deichmann and Jil Teichmann winning the Zavarovalnica Sava Ljubljana against Nuria Parrizas Diaz. The doubles titles went to Carole Monnet and Darja Semenistaja and Nuria Brancaccio and Leyre Romero Gormaz in Bucharest and Ljubljana, respectively.
Ons Jabeur is withdrawing from the rest of the 2024 season to rest and recover from a shoulder injury and focus on charity work before coming back to the Australian swing in January.
The WTA shared the results of their Board and Player Council election results with Jessica Pegula and Donna Vekic being among those re-elected to their positions.
This:
The USTA announced that nearly $13 million of Honey Deuces were bought at this year’s U.S. Open.
In baby news, Anett Kontaveit and Sabine Lisicki both shared the announcements of their first children.
Li Na was announced as the new Tournament Director for the Hong Kong Tennis Open next month.
Naomi Osaka and coach Wim Fissette have parted ways after a four-year partnership together and has been spotted working with Patrick Mouratoglou in Los Angeles this week.
I saw this on Twitter and had to laugh. Remember this mess?
Venus Williams has been appearing on the talk show circuit to promote her new book and the importance of your personal health and wellness goals.
Shelby Rogers never imagined a career as a pro when she was a ballkid in Charleston and she aims to continue staying in the sport in some fashion after retiring at the U.S. Open.
Tweet of the Week
If you didn’t know Serena Williams was Green Day’s biggest fan, now you do:
24/7 women’s soccer coverage with The Equalizer
The IX is partnering with The Equalizer to bring more women’s sports stories to your inbox. Subscribers to The IX receive 50% off their subscription to The Equalizer for 24/7 coverage of women’s soccer.
| Mondays: Soccer |
| By: Annie Peterson, @AnnieMPeterson, AP Women’s Soccer |
| Tuesdays: Tennis |
| By: Joey Dillon, @JoeyDillon, Freelance Tennis Writer |
| Wednesdays: Basketball |
| By: Howard Megdal, @HowardMegdal, The Next |
| Thursdays: Golf |
| By: Marin Dremock, @MDremock, The IX |
| Fridays: Hockey |
| By: @TheIceGarden, The Ice Garden |
| Saturdays: Gymnastics |
| By: Lela Moore, @runlelarun, Freelance Writer |
