Pune, April 7 (IANS) With India hosting the Asia-Oceania Group-1 round of Billie Jean King Cup 2025 for the first time, the hosts will be looking to capitalise on home conditions to make a mark for themselves in the prestigious tournament.
Organised by MSLTA in association with AITA at the tennis stadium at the Balewadi Sports complex in Pune, the Billie Jean King Cup is the equivalent to the Davis Cup of men’s tennis, the biggest team competition for the distaff side of the game.
The Indian team will clash against New Zealand, Chinese Taipei, Korea Republic, Thailand and Hong Kong China in the round-robin format, with the top two teams advancing to the tournament for a spot in the play-offs stage.
“Everyone is looking forward to the tournament, and I think we are prepared. The team is bonding well, too, and we are waiting to get started. I would just tell them (the younger players) that you are playing for the country. Give your best. It’s a lot of people’s dream to be here and to be in this position. So just give your best, enjoy every moment out there. Don’t worry about the result,” said Ankita Raina, India’s top-ranked singles player.
India’s No. 1 Ankita Raina will lead the charge alongside Sahaja Yamalapalli, Shrivalli Bhamidipaty, Vaidehi Chaudhari and doubles veteran Prarthana Thombare. Maaya Rajeshwaran, the 15-year-old sensation, joins the team as the reserve player. Vishal Uppal will be the captain of the team, and Radhika Kanitkar Tulpule has been appointed as the coach.
“We all understand how each of us functions in the team, and we work accordingly. I think that’s been the biggest plus point for us. And obviously, the seniors being on the tour for so long, they kind of give us good advice about when to do what. We’re looking forward to some good competition, and I think we have a pretty strong team,” said Shrivalli Bhamidipaty.
Apart from the members of the Indian team, all eyes would be on Lulu Sun of New Zealand, the top-ranked singles player of the entire tournament.
Ranked World No. 45 in Singles, Lulu Sun has won seven singles and four doubles titles in the ITF Circuit. In 2024, she also became the first woman from her country to reach the quarterfinals at Wimbledon.
Another notable player is doubles player Wu Fang-Hsien of Chinese Taipei. She is currently World No. 30 in doubles and is in her best form, having won back-to-back doubles titles at the Auckland Open and Hobart International, respectively, this year. She also reached the WTA 1000 Qatar Open and the semifinal of the WTA 1000 Miami Open in 2025 so far.
India will be eyeing a play-off berth for the second time in the tournament’s history after narrowly missing out on qualification in the last edition. India’s best run in the tournament came in 2020 when Sania Mirza, who left the team in 2016, made a remarkable comeback and helped India achieve play-off qualification.
India ended the Asia-Oceania Pool stage second with four wins out of five matches, but unfortunately, they later lost to Latvia 3-1 in their maiden play-offs match.
India will kickstart the tournament on Centre-Court as they face New Zealand on the opening day. In Court 1 and Court 2, the Republic play against Chinese Taipei, and Thailand lock horns against Hong Kong, China, respectively.
The Billie Jean King Cup 2025 will begin with a grand opening ceremony at 2:00 PM with captivating performances and special guest appearances.
“Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association is delighted to have the opportunity to host the Billie Jean King Cup Asia-Oceania Group 1 games in Pune”, stated Sunder Iyer, Tournament Director and Hon Secretary, MSLTA.
Pune will be creating history by hosting the BKJC for the first time in the century-long tennis history of the city. We at AITA bid for the BKJ Cup to ensure our girls get to play at home instead of travelling abroad. The weather, home food and public support should provide them home advantage, and they should make the most of it “, he added.
“We at MSLTA have left no stone unturned for this tournament. The preparations are in place for the players to have a great tournament, and for fans to come and enjoy some incredible tennis. The entry is free for the tennis players from the city, state and country, and we hope to see the best players entertain one and all”, he added.
The tournament is powered by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Ministry of Sports and Youth Welfare (Maharashtra). The matches will be shown on DD Sports.
Indian squad for Billie Jean King Cup:
Players – Ankita Raina, Prarthana Thombare, Sahaja Yamalapalli, Shrivalli Bhamidipaty, Vaidehi Chaudhari, Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi (Reserve)
Captain – Vishal Uppal
Coach – Radhika Kanitkar Tulpule
Physios -Rutuja Kulkarni and Apurva Kulkarni.
–IANS
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