AUSTRALIA will contest the 2024 Billie Jean King Cup Finals after the green and gold whitewashed Mexico in the Qualifiers to reach the 16-team event. The Aussies won 4-0 over their Central American opponents in a result that came as no surprise considering the relative ranking difference between the nations.

Aside from Arina Rodionova getting more than she bargained for against doubles specialist Giuliana Olmos in a tough three-set opening match, the Aussies completely dismantled their Mexican opponents. Daria Saville looked like she had somewhere to be against Marcela Zacarias, winning 6-1 6-0 in 51 minutes, and then teamed up with Ellen Perez in doubles to win in a 62-minute straight sets rout there.

The most exciting moment of the tie was teenage talent Taylah Preston making her debut in Australian colours. The 18-year-old also destroyed Zacarias, winning 6-1 6-1 in an hour and six minutes. All up, the last three matches took just two hours and 59 minutes.

“It was very special to wear the green and gold and win the tie for Australia,” Preston said post-match. “Hopefully it is not the last time and I get to wear it.

“I was more nervous this morning than I usually am as I am playing for far more than just myself in these ties – I am playing for my team and my country – and I don’t want to let the team down. There were a lot of ‘what ifs’ going on.

“But the girls were super-supportive, saying ‘you’ll be fine’ and ‘you deserve this’, so that was comforting and really nice. Walking on the court my stomach was doing weird things, but after a couple of games I loosened up.”

Australia was one of just 12 nations to make the 2024 Billie Jean King Cup Finals, with world number one Iga Swiatek leading Poland to a 4-0 smashing of Switzerland. The Swiss are currently world number threes having won a couple of years ago, but minus Belinda Bencic (maternity leave) and the out-of-form Jil Teichmann, they were no match for Swiatek and Magdalena Frech.

The story of the Qualifiers was Romania reaching the Finals for the first time after overcoming Ukraine 3-2. Played in Fernandina Beach, United States due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Ana Bogdan and Jaqueline Cristian teamed up to win an incredible tie. Both players took home a singles victory each with Bogdan upsetting Elina Svitolina and Cristian winning against Lesia Tsurenko, before the Romanian pair closed out the doubles in straight sets.

The lowest ranked nation at the Billie Jean King Finals will be Japan, after former world number one Naomi Osaka and current top ranked Japanese singles player Nao Hibino got the job done against Kazakhstan. With Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina missing from Kazakhstan’s lineup, the full-strength Japanese duo took full advantage, winning the first three singles to secure the tie.

In other results, United States swept passed Belgium in Orlando as expected, with Slovakia also easily defeating Slovenia 4-0 as well. The big omission from the Finals will be France who despite having Caroline Garcia was unable to overcome Great Britain with Katie Boulter and Emma Raducanu helping win the tie 3-1. In the other contest, Germany won against Brazil 3-1.

The 2024 Billie Jean King Cup Finals will be held in Sevilla, Spain later this year, with the eight qualifying nations joining the hosts, alongside wildcard Czech Republic, and last year’s finalists in Canada and Italy at the event. The competition will sort the 12 nations into four groups of three, with the four group winners advancing to the knockout semi-finals.

2024 BILLIE JEAN KING CUP FINALS TEAMS:

Canada (reigning champions)
Italy (runners-up)
Spain (host nation)
Czech Republic (wildcard)
Australia
United States
Slovakia
Poland
Japan
Romania
Great Britain
Germany