Prague to host World Cup of women's tennis in November

The Billie Jean King Cup, formerly known as the Fed Cup, is coming back to Prague this November as twelve top countries in women's tennis will compete for bragging rights to the world's top nation during the Cup's finals.

This edition of the event was originally scheduled to take place in Budapest in the spring of 2020, but was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. After the Hungarian capital was unable to accommodate a rescheduled 2021 event, Prague stepped in just two months away from the November dates.

The 2021 Billie Jean King Cup finals will take place from November 1-6 at Prague's O2 Arena. The host country of the Czech Republic is seeded fourth in this year's tournament, behind reigning Cup holder France, Australia (2), and the United States (3).

"I am already looking forward to being in Prague for the climax to the women's team tennis season," ITF President David Haggerty said in a press release. 

"The O2 Arena has witnessed outstanding Billie Jean King Cup action in the last 10 years, and I look forward to history being made again on court later this year."

"I thank the Czech Tennis Association and the Czech Republic Government for their collaboration and continued commitment to women’s tennis at the highest level, as well as the ITF Board and the Billie Jean King Cup Committee for their unwavering support."

Canada (replacing Hungary), the Russian Tennis Federation, Belarus, Belgium, Spain, Slovakia, Germany and Switzerland will also compete in this year's Billie Jean King Cup in Prague.

A round robin tournament featuring four blocks of three teams will take place, with the winners of each block qualifying for the semi-finals. The Czech Republic will face off against Germany and Switzerland in their qualifying block.

The top event in international team women's tennis and the female counterpart to the Davis Cup, the Billie Jean King Cup was originally established as the Federation Cup in 1963 and later called the Fed Cup from 1995. In 2020, it was renamed the Billie Jean King Cup after the legendary top-ranked tennis star, who was also a captain of the U.S. team in the Federation Cup and founder of the Women's Tennis Association.

This year will be the first time the event has taken place under the name of the Billie Jean King Cup.

The Cup has previously been held in Prague five times since its inception in 1963: in 1986 at Štvanice Stadium, and in 2012, 2014, 2015, and 2018 at O2 Arena. In each of those years, the Czech Republic won the Cup as host country.

The Czech Republic and former Czechoslovakia has won the Billie Jean King Cup a total of eleven times, and has dominated the event over the past decade, winning six times over the past ten years; only Italy, France, and the United States, with one win apiece, have also taken home the Cup over that span.

Since 1963, only the United States has won the former Fed Cup more times than the Czech Republic, with a total of 18 victories.