Swiatek, Halep, Raducanu lead Billie Jean King Cup team nominations

3m read 19 Mar 2022 3y ago
Simona Halep Fed Cup 2019
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World No.4 Iga Swiatek

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, and US Open champion Emma Raducanu
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are among the star-studded lineup at the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers, which are set to take place on April 15-16. 

The ITF announced the team nominations for the qualifying event, which includes seven major champions in the mix. Along with Swiatek and Raducanu, Simona Halep, Angelique Kerber, Garbiñe Muguruza, Jelena Ostapenko

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The Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers has the potential of producing a number of blockbuster ties. 

The United States is the most successful country in the Billie Jean King Cup, having won the competition 18 times, most recently in 2018. Led by Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins

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, and 2017 US Open champion Stephens, the Americans will host Ukraine in Asheville, North Carolina. Ukraine will be counting on former World No.3 Elina Svitolina
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and 19-year-old talent Marta Kostyuk
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in singles, with the experienced doubles team of Lyudmyla Kichenok and Nadiia Kichenok playing a key role. 

The Czech Republic, led by 2019 French Open finalist Marketa Vondrousova

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Led by 20-year-old Swiatek, Poland will host Halep's Romanian team on indoor hardcourts in Radom, Poland, where a rematch of the Indian Wells semifinal between the two could be in the cards. 

Rounding out the ties: US Open finalist and World No.31 Leylah Fernandez

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's Latvian squad, Montreal champion Camila Giorgi will lead the Italian squad at home against Alizé Cornet and Caroline Garcia
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's French team, Spain will send a loaded team featuring Badosa, Mugurusa, and
Sara Sorribes Tormo
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to the Netherlands to play on indoor clay, and Germany will head to Kazakhstan to face a tough team led by No.20
Elena Rybakina
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and Yulia Putintseva
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.

Each qualifying tie consists of two singles matches on the first day of play (when each nation’s No.1 singles player competes against the opposition’s No.2 player), followed by two singles matches (No.1 v. No.1 then No.2 v. No.2) and a doubles match on the second day. The team with the higher aggregate score will advance to the finals.

Full team nominations:

ITALY v FRANCE
Venue: Tennis Club Alghero, Alghero SS, ITA
Surface: hard – outdoor
Head-to-head: France lead 8-3
 
Italy
Camila Giorgi
Jasmine Paolini

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Martina Trevisan
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Lucia Bronzetti
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Elisabetta Cocciaretto
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Captain: Tathiana Garbin
 
France
Alize Cornet
Caroline Garcia
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Clara Burel
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Kristina Mladenovic
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Captain: Julien Benneteau

USA v UKRAINE
Venue: Harrah's Cherokee Center, Asheville, USA
Surface: hard – indoor
Head-to-head: USA lead 1-0

USA
Danielle Collins

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Jessica Pegula
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Sloane Stephens
Shelby Rogers
Desirae Krawczyk
Captain: Kathy Rinaldi
 
Ukraine
Elina Svitolina
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Marta Kostyuk
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Katarina Zavatska
Lyudmyla Kichenok
Nadiia Kichenok
Captain: Olga Savchuk

CZECH REPUBLIC v GREAT BRITAIN
Venue: Tennis Club I.CLTK Prague, Prague, CZE
Surface: clay – outdoor
Head-to-head: tied 3-3 (including meetings between Czechoslovakia and Great Britain)
  
Czech Republic
Marketa Vondrousova

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Tereza Martincova
Katerina Siniakova
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Karolina Muchova
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Captain: Petr Pala
 
Great Britain
Emma Raducanu
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Harriet Dart
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Katie Swan
Sonay Kartal
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Captain: Anne Keothavong

KAZAKHSTAN v GERMANY
Venue: National Tennis Centre, Nur-Sultan, KAZ
Surface: clay – indoor
Head-to-head: first meeting

Kazakhstan
Elena Rybakina

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Yulia Putintseva
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Zarina Diyas
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Anna Danilina
Zhibek Kulambayeva
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Captain: Yaroslava Shvedova
 
Germany
Angelique Kerber
Andrea Petkovic
Jule Niemeier
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Anna-Lena Friedsam
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Laura Siegemund
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Captain: Rainer Schuettler

CANADA v LATVIA
Venue: Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, CAN
Surface: hard – indoor
Head-to-head: first meeting
  
Canada
Leylah Fernandez

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Rebecca Marino
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Carol Zhao
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Francoise Abanda
Gabriela Dabrowski
Captain: Heidi El Tabakh
 
Latvia
Jelena Ostapenko
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Daniela Vismane
Diana Marcinkevica
Darja Semenistaja
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Captain: Adrians Zguns

NETHERLANDS v SPAIN
Venue: Maaspoort Sports & Events, s-Hertogenbosch, NED
Surface: clay – indoor
Head-to-head: Spain lead 3-0

Netherlands
Arantxa Rus

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Lesley Pattinama Kerkhove
Arianne Hartono
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Demi Schuurs
Captain: Elise Tamaela
 
Spain
Paula Badosa
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Garbine Muguruza
Sara Sorribes Tormo
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Nuria Parrizas-Diaz
Rebeka Masarova
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Captain: Anabel Medina Garrigues

POLAND v ROMANIA
Venue: Radomskie Centrum Sportu, Radom, POL
Surface: hard – indoor
Head-to-head: Poland lead 4-2

Poland
Iga Swiatek

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Magda Linette
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Magdalena Frech
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Maja Chwalinska
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Alicja Rosolska
Captain: Dawid Celt
 
Romania
Simona Halep
Elena Gabriela Ruse
Irina-Camelia Begu
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Monica Niculescu
Captain: Horia Tecau