The Billie Jean King Cup, formerly known as the Fed Cup, is the premier international team competition in women’s tennis. It is named after Billie Jean King, a legendary tennis player and advocate for gender equality in sports.
The Billie Jean King Cup was founded in 1963 by the International Tennis Federation (ITF). It was originally known as the Federation Cup, and it was contested between national teams from around the world.
The first Federation Cup was held in Queen’s Club, London, England, in June 1963. The United States won the inaugural tournament, defeating Australia in the final.
In 1995, the Federation Cup was renamed the Fed Cup. The name change was made to reflect the growing importance of women’s tennis.
In 2019, the Fed Cup was rebranded as the Billie Jean King Cup. The name change was made to honor Billie Jean King’s legacy and to further promote women’s tennis.
The Billie Jean King Cup is a knockout competition. The teams are divided into groups, and the winners of each group advance to the next round. The final round is a knockout tournament.
The current format of the Billie Jean King Cup features 12 teams in the Finals, which is held every year. The teams are divided into four groups of three, and the winners of each group advance to the semifinals. The semifinals are played in a single-elimination format, and the winners of the semifinals advance to the final.
The United States is the most successful team in the history of the Billie Jean King Cup, with 18 titles. Australia is the second-most successful team, with seven titles.
Other notable winners of the Billie Jean King Cup include:
- Czech Republic (6 titles)
- Spain (5 titles)
- Russia (4 titles)
- Italy (3 titles)
- France (2 titles)
- Germany (2 titles)
