The International Tennis Federation have announced they will be making changes to the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup.
The Davis Cup is a historic international team event on the ATP Tour, while the Billie Jean King Cup, previously named the Fed Cup, serves as the equivalent for the WTA Tour.
The players experience great pride representing their countries in a team environment, which is a rare experience in an individual sport like tennis.
Some players have experienced some of their finest moments while competing in the Davis Cup or Billie Jean King Cup, but some alterations have been made to the events from next season.
What changes have been made to the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup?
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) confirmed on Friday that the Billie Jean King Cup will be reduced from 12 teams to eight, the same format as the Davis Cup.
Therefore, the 2025 Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers will feature seven groups of three teams each and those nations who win their respective groups will join the host nation in the Finals.
The Davis Cup meanwhile, will move from a six-day group stage tournament to seven different home or away series, that will be completed over two days.
The seven teams that emerge victorious in those series will join the host nation in the Finals in November. That’s not all as from 2026, the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers will be contested via home-or-away matches.
What is the reaction to the Davis Cup and Billie Jean Cup changes?
The changes come after the Davis Cup format received some criticism, including from Australia’s Davis Cup captain and former player Lleyton Hewitt.
He will welcome the changes, as does ITF president David Haggerty. “In the Billie Jean King Cup, the move to an eight-team Finals aligns with the Davis Cup Final 8 format which has proven to be such a success,” he said.
“Moving the Davis Cup September stage from six-day group stage events to two-day home-or-away ties will ease players’ schedules immediately following the US Open, while maintaining the intensity of the competition that they all love.”
The chair of the Billie Jean King Cup Ilana Kloss added: “Creating the best competition format is a key part of our long-term strategy for the Billie Jean King Cup and follows consultation with players, fans, partners and broadcasters.
“An eight-team event over six days will be hugely beneficial to player health and the global fan experience. It’s a win-win for everyone.”
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