Top women's tennis returns to Amelia Island: What to know about the Billie Jean King Cup
Tennis fans' First Coast wait is over.
For the first time in more than a dozen years, top-level international women's tennis arrives this weekend in Northeast Florida.
The Billie Jean King Cup by Gainbridge, the premier international team tournament in women's tennis, arrives Friday and Saturday when Romania and Ukraine meet in the qualifying round at Omni Amelia Island Resort in Fernandina Beach.
Here's what fans need to know.
How does the Billie Jean King Cup work?
The tournament, formerly known as the Fed Cup before being renamed in 2020 for the American tennis legend, has been the sport's major international team event since its beginning in 1963.
The format is straightforward enough: Teams will play two singles matches Friday and two more Saturday, with doubles following Saturday if necessary.
Canada won the 2023 edition for the first time ever, defeating Italy.
What's at stake?
The winning team at Amelia Island will advance to the Billie Jean King Cup final stage in November, scheduled for Spain.
In all, 12 countries will participate in the November tournament, with Canada, Italy, Spain and the Czech Republic already qualified.
Why Amelia Island?
It's complicated.
While Ukraine was designated as the home team for the series, the Russian invasion that began in 2022 has forced the Ukrainian squad to find a neutral site.
The result: destination Fernandina Beach. The Svitolina Foundation, which is founded by top-ranked Ukrainian player Elina Svitolina and manages the nation's Billie Jean King Cup team, chose Amelia Island and the 22-court Racquet Park complex.
Among other benefits, it's a short distance from the most recent stop on the WTA Tour, the Charleston Open. In addition to the Svitolina Foundation, which develops Ukrainian youth tennis programs, proceeds from the event will also support the Bush-Wikse ACE Outreach Program, an organization that helps connect children worldwide with tennis equipment and programs.
"I'm super happy that we have this chance to play, and we've already started our preparation," Svitolina said.
Is Simona Halep playing for Romania?
The short answer: No.
The former world No. 1, who previously won the French Open and Wimbledon, was initially listed on Romania's roster in what would have been only her second competitive appearance for the last year and a half. However, she withdrew last week, citing injury, with plans to return for the Madrid Open beginning late this month.
Halep had been out of action due to a four-year suspension after testing positive for a banned substance in 2022, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned that punishment last month. The CAS in effect reduced her penalty to time already served, clearing her to return to competition.
She returned to action last month in Miami, but lost the first match of her return.
What is Northeast Florida's professional tennis history?
It's a long and proud history, but it's been on pause.
In addition to multiple men's competitions in the Jacksonville Open in the 1960s and 1970s, where the victors included giants like Arthur Ashe and Jimmy Connors, the First Coast welcomed women's tennis annually for more than three decades.
The Omni site, formerly known as Amelia Island Plantation, held the Bausch & Lomb Championships each year from 1980 through 2008 and played host to WTA Tour giants: Three-time winners in Fernandina Beach included Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, Gabriela Sabatini and Lindsay Davenport, while Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and Monica Seles won twice each.
But Bausch & Lomb ended its sponsorship after 2008, and while the tournament moved to Sawgrass Country Club in Ponte Vedra for two years in 2009 and 2010 — both won by Caroline Wozniacki — the event came to a close after the 2010 edition.
Match schedule
Friday singles: 1 p.m.
Saturday singles: 11 a.m.; Saturday doubles, following singles if necessary.
Billie Jean King Cup rosters for Romania and Ukraine
Romania: Ana Bogdan (No. 66), Jaqueline Cristian (No. 83), Mara Gae (No. 1,063), Anca Todoni (No. 217).
Ukraine: Lyudmyla Kichenok (unranked in singles), Yuliia Starodubtseva (No. 136), Elina Svitolina (No. 17), Lesia Tsurenko (No. 39).
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Billie Jean King Cup in Amelia Island: What you need to know
