Will Bengaluru Be the First Indian Host of the Billie Jean King Cup Play-offs?

Bengaluru, June 19 (NationPress) In a groundbreaking achievement, the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA) is set to host the Group G matches of the esteemed Billie Jean King Cup Playoffs at the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium on the 14th, 15th, and 16th of June. This marks the first instance of the Billie Jean King Cup Playoffs taking place on Indian soil.

The playoffs will showcase 21 nations, divided into seven groups of three teams each. Each group tie will be hosted by a specific nation, with the venues having been officially announced after a draw conducted on Thursday in London.

India has recently qualified for the playoffs for only the second time in its history, following an impressive performance in the Asia/Oceania Group I tie held in Pune. India secured its spot alongside New Zealand, achieving a 2-1 victory against Korea.

Both New Zealand and India recorded four wins in the six-team competition. The previous instance of India qualifying for the playoffs was in April 2021, when they faced Latvia and lost 3-1, despite the challenge posed by Jelena Ostapenko.

India's Group G competitors include Slovenia and the Netherlands, and the five-member Indian squad comprises Ankita Raina (ranked 292), Sahaja Yamalapalli (rank 301), Shrivalli Bhamidipaty (rank 313), Vaidehi Chaudhari (rank 405), and Prarthana Thombare, the highest-ranked Indian doubles player at No.136, as confirmed by KSLTA in a recent statement.

In other groups, Canada, Mexico, and Denmark will compete in Group A, while Group B features Poland, New Zealand, and Romania. Group C includes Slovakia, Switzerland, and Argentina. Group D consists of Czechia, Colombia, and Croatia, and Group E contains Australia, Portugal, and Brazil. Lastly, Group F has Germany, Belgium, and Turkiye.

The KSLTA has a strong reputation for hosting international tennis events, having previously organized Davis Cup ties, ATP World Doubles Championships, WTA Tour Events, ITF Women’s $100K, ATP Challengers, and various ITF World Tennis Tour events. This will be a notable first for KSLTA as they host the prestigious Billie Jean King Cup.

In their mission to provide significant exposure to budding players and tennis enthusiasts nationwide, KSLTA's leadership took the initiative to host the Billie Jean King Cup playoffs once India qualified last month.

“Hosting the celebrated BJK Cup playoffs at the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium will be a monumental moment for us at KSLTA. We believe this will enhance India's profile in the global women's tennis arena. Our goal has always been to host leading international tennis events in Bengaluru, and our world-class facilities enable us to host such a prestigious event,” stated Priyank Kharge, Senior Vice President of KSLTA and Minister of IT & BT & RDPR, Government of Karnataka.

Sunil Yajaman, Joint Secretary of KSLTA and Tournament Director for the event, expressed, “We were ecstatic when India secured a playoff spot, and their performance was remarkable. There is immense potential with young tennis players excelling, and a home playoff tie could significantly boost the sport's development, especially at the grassroots level and inspire future talent.

“We are honored to be selected as one of the host nations for the playoffs, and we eagerly anticipate welcoming the players and officials to Bengaluru. This presents a unique chance for sports enthusiasts in Bengaluru to witness this prestigious event occurring for the first time in India. We also believe this will be a fantastic opportunity for the Indian team to perform at their best, as all players are familiar with the local conditions. Our gratitude goes to the International Tennis Federation (ITF) for choosing Bengaluru as the host for this exciting event,” he added.