(Reuters) -The Billie Jean King Cup Finals will be hosted in Shenzhen, China from this year until 2027, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) said on Thursday.
It will be the first time the competition has been hosted in China. The last time the competition was hosted in Asia was in 1989 in Tokyo, Japan, when it was called the Fed Cup with 16 nations. A record 146 nations are set to compete this year.
The ITF said the move supports the tournament’s goal of fostering cultural exchange, celebrating diversity, and strengthening connections between athletes and fans worldwide.
“Having the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Shenzhen is a dream come true for myself and other Chinese tennis players,” Paris Games gold medallist and world number five Zheng Qinwen said in a statement.
“This event reflects the incredible progress of tennis in China and highlights how women’s sports continue to thrive here. I can’t wait to see how it inspires more young girls to pick up a tennis racket and dream big.”
Twelve-times Grand Slam champion Billie Jean King said: “Shenzhen embodies the spirit of growth and innovation that is at the core of the Billie Jean King Cup, expanding the reach of tennis and championing the power of women’s sports.”
The premier women’s international team competition was hosted in Spain, Malaga, last year where world number four Jasmine Paolini steered Italy to a fifth title. Hosts China and champions Italy will automatically qualify for the Finals.
Qualifying ties will be played across six group events, commencing on April 7, and will consist of three teams per group. Each three-day event will be held in one location and played on a round-robin basis.
Last year’s finalists Slovakia will host USA and Denmark in Group C, while Canada, the top seeds in the qualifiers, are in Group A with Romania and hosts Japan. Second seeds Czech Republic will host Spain and Brazil in Group B.
Kazakhstan and Colombia will travel to Australia for Group D ties, while Poland will host Switzerland and Ukraine in Group E. Group F will be hosted by Britain and includes Germany and Netherlands.
The teams finishing top of each group will advance to the Finals while teams finishing in second and third will compete in the playoffs in November.
(Reporting by Shifa Jahan in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Davis)
