(August 27, 2021)The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has today announced that the Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas 2021 Finals will be hosted in partnership with the Czech Tennis Association and played on indoor hard courts at the O2 Arena in Prague from November 1-6. The Finals were originally scheduled to take place in Budapest, Hungary in April 2020 and twice postponed.
November 2021 will see both the women’s and men’s World Cup of Tennis events take place in the same month. The rescheduled Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas 2021 Finals will take place ahead of the men’s 2021 Davis Cup by Rakuten Finals from November 25 to December 5.
Czech Republic has hosted previous editions of the competition at the O2 Arena in the last decade, with the national Czech Republic team winning the 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2018 Finals on home soil.
Ivo Kaderka, President, Czech Tennis Association, said: “I am very happy that the Czech Tennis Association could provide a solution when ITF President David Haggerty reached out seeking a new host for this year. I am honoured that the Czech Republic will host the Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas 2021 Finals.”
Kaderka added: “Together with the ITF, I know that the CTA and our partners will deliver a spectacular event. I would like to express my gratitude to the government of the Czech Republic for supporting sport in general, including tennis and the BJK Cup Finals in Prague.”
Changes to the draw for the 2021 edition see former host nation Hungary replaced in Group A by Canada, the highest-ranked winning nation at the Billie Jean King Cup Play-offs in April this year. Canada will compete alongside defending champions France and the Russian Tennis Federation (RTF) team. The following group draws remain as published: Group B (Australia, Belarus, Belgium), Group C (USA, Spain, Slovakia), and Group D, in which Czech Republic is the seeded team and will play against Germany and Switzerland.
ITF President David Haggerty said: “I am already looking forward to being in Prague for the climax to the women’s team tennis season. The O2 Arena has witnessed outstanding Billie Jean King Cup action in the last 10 years, and I look forward to history being made again on court later this year. I thank the Czech Tennis Association and the Czech Republic government for their collaboration and continued commitment to women’s tennis at the highest level, as well as the ITF Board and the Billie Jean King Cup Committee for their unwavering support.”
Billie Jean King, Global Ambassador, said: “It’s an honour to represent this historic competition and I want to thank the ITF and the Czech Republic for doing everything in their power to stage this year’s women’s World Cup of Tennis despite the challenging circumstances. I wish each nation and every athlete the best of luck and to give your all in Prague this November as you compete for the chance for your nation to become world champions.”
Information about the Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas 2021 Finals can be found here.
