Pegula, Keys, Navarro, Dolehide, Townsend to Play BJK Cup Tie for U.S.
March 15, 2024
The USTA and U.S. Billie Jean King Cup Captain Lindsay Davenport announced that Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys, Emma Navarro, Caroline Dolehide and Taylor Townsend will represent the USA in the 2024 Billie Jean King Cup by Gainbridge Qualifying competition vs. Belgium April 12-13 at the USTA National Campus in Lake Nona, Fla.
Billie Jean King Cup is the ‘World Cup of Tennis,’ with more than 100 nations competing yearly. The Qualifying competition is one of eight being held worldwide in April, with the winners of each advancing to the 12-nation Billie Jean King Cup Finals this fall in Seville, Spain, to compete for the title. The United States leads all nations in all-time titles, with 18.
The Qualifier is a best-of-five match series played on an outdoor hard court that begins Friday, April 12, with two singles matches, starting at 6 p.m. Two reverse singles matches and a doubles match will follow on Saturday, April 13, starting at 2 p.m., with an amended Saturday schedule possible if one nation clinches victory in the third or fourth singles match.
The event marks the first for Davenport, an International Tennis Hall of Famer, as team captain. The four-time year-end world No. 1 was one of the most successful U.S. Billie Jean King Cup players in history, helping to lead the U.S. to titles in 1996, 1999, and 2000.
Tennis Channel will feature TV coverage in the U.S.
A limited number of tickets will be available to the public for Friday’s and Saturday’s matches through the USTA’s Billie Jean King Cup Qualifier Round Sweepstakes, which will provide fans the opportunity to enter for up to two complimentary tickets. Visit USTANationalCampus.com to submit an entry and for the Official Rules.
The National Campus will also host a free Family Fun Day alongside Saturday’s matches, featuring play opportunities and other activities. Register via USTANationalCampus.com.
Pegula, 30, is ranked No. 5 in singles and No. 10 in doubles. She’s played in three Billie Jean King Cup ties for the U.S., with a 3-1 singles record, and has helped the U.S. qualify for the Finals each of the last two years.
Keys, 29, is ranked No. 20 in singles and is an Orlando resident. She’s played in eight Billie Jean King Cup ties for the U.S. since debuting in 2014 and has been coached by Davenport on tour, including when she reached the US Open women’s singles final in 2017.
Navarro, 23, is ranked a career-high No. 23 in singles and won her first WTA title earlier this year in Hobart, Australia, defeating Belgian No. 1 Elise Mertens in the final. This is her debut Billie Jean King Cup nomination, coming on the heels of her upset victory over world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka at Indian Wells on Wednesday.
Dolehide, 25, is ranked a career-high No. 51 in singles and No. 30 in doubles. She made her Billie Jean King Cup debut for the U.S. in the 2021 Finals and reached her first WTA singles final in 2023.
Townsend, 27, is ranked No. 77 in singles and No. 11 in doubles. She’s gone 3-1 in doubles matches over four Billie Jean King Cup nominations and has competed in the Finals for the last two years.