Billie Jean King Cup Play-offs - GB vs Mexico 16-17th April 2021

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

Billie Jean King Cup Play-offs - GB vs Mexico 16-17th April 2021

dodrade · Satellite level

I would have thought the BBC might pick it up given they usually cover GB's ties.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Being frank, I think these finals have been very low profile with very little attention - or interest?- here in GB due to lack of a GB team and lack of high profile players to the casual fan. I cant see the BBC having any interest in these so not at all surprised they arent being shown.

Which is a shame but something the ITF needs to think about as they really could dwindle and die as an event if the quality of the field isnt addressed. It may be an output of Covid of course.

Armchair · County player

The Tennis Podcast is doing daily post match comments Matt Roberts is out there. But as others have said without GB involvement the BBC interest is exactly what I would expect.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

It is interesting that the Davis Cup Finals entries do look very strong in terms of players that have committed to each team - I feel generally that the Fed Cup has always been a lesser event compared to Davis Cup, for whatever reason, and clearly that is reflected in the fields intending to play in this years events

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

The SF and F are at least on the BJK Cup FB page, and Russia have just booked their place in the final after edging a deciding doubles rubber against the USA. They play the winner of Switzerland vs Australia, which follows.

GAMEOVER · Pro player

There was no interest in the Mail and Telegraph save the semi final results.Eurosport used to cover the ties in the past with the likes of Jo Durie commentating. The Fed Cup was always a hard sell whatever format they had.

Pancho P · Lower Club Player

Anyone remember the old Wightman cup ?. From very distant memory that seemed quite high profile ?. GB v USA ?. ( think )

Pancho P · Lower Club Player

Lets do it !. Some quaint Pathe news footage of this on you tube.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Pancho P wrote:
Anyone remember the old Wightman cup ?. From very distant memory that seemed quite high profile ?. GB v USA ?. ( think )

wightman cup was the ladies tennis equivalent of the Ryder Cup. I think it was 7 rubbers made up of 5 singles (top 2 played each other and reverse matches, numbers 3s played each other) and 2 doubles matches. Its high point was when it was played at the Albert Hall really in the 80s and for a while we where quite competitive at home; hardly ever when it was played in the USA , switching alternately as per Ryder Cup.

that lack of competitiveness caused them to look at changing our team to Europe or the Commonwealth but it eventually just died.

ironically, right now, we might give them a good fight, with Emma at one and heather at 2 we could split the top 4 singles 2 each, Jo could win at 3 and we might just sneak a doubles for a remarkable 4-3 win! Ha.

Pancho P · Lower Club Player

Thanks Jon.

Jan · Hall of fame

Ah yes, I remember that!

GAMEOVER · Pro player

Pancho P wrote:
Anyone remember the old Wightman cup ?. From very distant memory that seemed quite high profile ?. GB v USA ?. ( think )

I think it was cancelled in 1989 because it became too one sided. GB rarely won even in our stronger days. We didn't win between 1930 and 1958. Even in 1961 when we had Ann Jones and Angela Mortimer as Grand Slam champions we lost 6-1 to a team of young Americans including Billie Jean Moffitt (later King). We did have our moments such as 1968 when we won 4-3 with Virginia Wade starring in the singles beating French champion Nancy Richey and the Truman sisters in the doubles. Then 2 weeks later Wade lost in the 1st round of Wimbledon to the unheralded Christina Sandberg. In the September she won the US Open beating King in the final and then we had a 53 year old wait for our next female champion. The 1974 Wightman Cup was held at Deeside North Wales which I went to and we beat a weak American team 6-1. No too surprised that the event was consigned to history.