by Randy Walker
@TennisPublisher
The United States is hosting a Billie Jean King Cup match against Belgium at the U.S. Tennis Association National Campus in Orlando but it’s only the second most interesting match in this international team competition in the state of Florida this week.
Because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the match-up between Ukraine and Romania had to be moved and tennis promoter Tim Stallard secured the rights to hosting the tie and is holding it at the Amelia Island Plantation on Amelia Island in northeast Florida, the former site of the former historic WTA tournament best known as the Bausch & Lomb Championships.
The Ukraine vs. Romania match will feature two of the biggest current storylines in women’s tennis. For starters, Elena Svitolina of Ukraine continues not only her inspiring comeback to top-level tennis after becoming a mother, but also her inspired play for her war-torn nation. The Amelia Island matches will benefit Elena Svitolina Foundation, which helps Ukrainian efforts in society and sport. Secondly, the Ukraine vs. Romania matches will be the second official competition that Romania’s former Wimbledon champion Simona Halep will play after her drug suspension controversy ended. She previously played in the main draw of the Miami Open last month. (Greg Sharko, the communications officer for the Ukraine vs. Romania matches has now told me that Halep has pulled out of the matches citing injury).
Both of the Ukraine vs. Romania storylines – as well as being a match where the outcome will certainly be in doubt – makes for a more interesting follow than the match featuring Team USA against Belgium at the USTA National Campus. The big storyline in the USA vs. Belgium tie is the debut of Hall of Famer Lindsay Davenport as the U.S. captain. The newly-minted Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) accredited coach, Davenport has assembled a team of top-notch American talent comprised of Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys, Emma Navarro, Caroline Dolehide and Taylor Townsend.
By contrast, Belgium is still looking for players to replace the legacies of Kim Clijsters and Justin Henin. Its highest ranked player is No. 278 Hanne Vandewinkel for this tie. Team USA’s team has three players ranked in the top 21, led by world No. 5 Pegula. A one-sided U.S. shutout is certainly expected.
It’s exciting that the USTA National Campus is hosting its biggest ever international event. However, only a very limited number of tickets (only a few dozen we hear) were made available to the general public as the event is held in conjunction with the USTA’s Annual Meeting, a confluence of USTA national, sectional and district staff and volunteers as well as other industry leaders who all, undoubtedly, will be attending the matches in a small-ish hard court stadium on the campus.
Tickets for the Romania vs. Ukraine matches, however, are available in an intimate 600-seat tree-covered stadium at Amelia Island.
Both matches will be held Friday, April 12 and Saturday, April 13. Tennis Channel will cover the USA vs. Belgium matches.
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