Marking the official beginning of Lindsay Davenport’s tenure as team captain, world No.5 Jessica Pegula and No.21 Emma Navarro will lead the United States’ team in the Billie Jean King Cup Qualifying singles matches which kick off on Friday, April 12 at the USTA National Campus at 6 p.m.
In the first singles match on Friday evening, Pegula will face off against 19-year-old Belgian Sofia Costoulas, a former world junior No.2 now ranked No.279 in the WTA rankings. Navarro, making her debut in the Billie Jean King Cup, will then take on Belgian Hanne Vandewinkel, also 19 years old and ranked No.278, in the second singles match of the day.
On Saturday, Pegula will once again lead the charge, playing against Vandewinkel at 2 p.m., followed by Navarro’s match against Costoulas. The U.S. doubles team, Madison Keys and Taylor Townsend, are set to play against Marie Benoit and Kimberley Zimmermann of Belgium after Saturday’s singles matches.
The format for the weekend is straightforward: the first team to win three matches will clinch victory and become one of eight nations advancing out of Qualifying to the 12-nation Billie Jean King Cup Finals, which will be played in November in Seville, Spain. 2023
champions Canada, runners-up Italy, host nation Spain and wildcard Czech Republic have received automatic berths into the Finals.
The team that loses this weekend’s matches will be relegated to participate in a Playoff tie in November against a yet-to-be-determined nation. The winner of that Playoff will earn a spot back in the Qualifying field for the 2025 season.
Weekend Match Schedule
USTA National Campus; Lake Nona, Fla.
TV: Tennis Channel
Friday (beginning at 6 p.m. ET)
Jessica Pegula (USA) v. Sofia Costoulas (BEL)
Emma Navarro (USA) v. Hanne Vandewinkel (BEL)
Saturday (beginning at 2 p.m. ET)
Jessica Pegula (USA) v. Hanne Vandewinkel (BEL)
*Emma Navarro (USA) v. Sofia Costoulas (BEL)
*Madison Keys and Taylor Townsend (USA) vs. Marie Benoit and Kimberley Zimmermann (BEL)
