Wk.47- And One More to Grow On...

Simona Waltert pic.twitter.com/bzZcfHTKDG

— Ken McKinnon (@mckinnon88877) November 16, 2025

*WEEK 47* BILLIE JEAN KING CUP PLAYOFFS [Group A - Monterrey, MEX; HCO] - CAN (MVP: Mboko)
[Group B - Gorzow Wielkopolski, POL; HCI] - POL (MVP: Swiatek)
[Group C - Cordoba, ARG; RCO] - SUI (MVP: Waltert)
[Group D - Varazdin, CRO; HCI] - CZE (MVP: Noskova)
[Group E - Hobart, AUS; HCO] - AUS (MVP: Joint)
[Group F - Ismaning, GER; HCI] - BEL (MVP: Vandewinkel)
[Group G - Bengaluru, IND; HCO] - SLO (MVP: Zidansek)

WHEELCHAIR MASTERS (Huzhou, CHN; Red Clay Outdoor) S: Yui Kamiji/JPN def. Li Xiaohui/CHN 6-2/6-2 D: Yui Kamiji/Zhu Zhenzhen (JPN/CHN) def. Li Xiaohui/Wang Ziying (CHN/CHN) 1-6/6-0 [10-8]

2025 BJK CUP PLAYOFFS - GROUP WINNERS & MVPs

Sealed in style 💫

Victoria Mboko defeats Zarazua 6-1 6-1 to deliver once again for Team Canada 🇨🇦#BJKCup pic.twitter.com/nHMzBwRIVx

— Billie Jean King Cup (@BJKCup) November 17, 2025

A	CAN ...DEN,MEX(h)	Victoria Mboko

...in Monterrey, Canada left the host squad from Mexico at the final altar with a sweep of the singles -- Carson Branstine def. Julia Garcia, Mboko d. Renata Zarazua -- to square away the Group-deciding final tie of the entire BJK Cup weekend.

On Saturday, Mboko contributed a pair of wins in a 2-1 triumph over Denmark, joining with Gaby Dabrowski to win the deciding doubles. On Sunday evening, her clinching win over Zarazua improved her career Cup mark to 5-0 (4-0 singles, 1-0 doubles, all this season). Overall, the Canadian ends her breakout season on a seven-match singles winning streak (w/ her title run in Hong Kong) and 9-1 closing stretch, giving her an overall 62-14 solo record in 2025.

Mboko had been scheduled to play the doubles on Sunday, as well, with a four-win round robin within reach. But the dead rubber doubles match was called off after the teenager's less-than-an-hour victory over Zarazua.

Meanwhile, despite being the hard luck team of Group A, going 0-2 with a pair of deciding doubles defeats, Denmark had a team member post what was likely the most remarkable win of the season's final Cup weekend. 20-year old Rebecca Munk Mortensen, who came into the week with an eleven-match BJK Cup combined s/d losing streak, defeated Canada's Cadence Brace in a 3-6/7-6(4)/7-6(4), 3:38 marathon in which the Dane saved a MP in the 2nd set TB, then *eight* more at 6-5 in the 3rd (recovering from going down love/40) before ultimately winning a 7-4 deciding TB to get the win.

🇩🇰REBECCA MUNK MORTENSEN WITH A SHOCKER AT #BJKCup!

#652 ranked 🇩🇰Munk Mortensen defeats World No. 188 🇨🇦Cadence Brace in her debut for Team Canada in an absolute BATTLE lasting 3 hours and 41 minutes.

Unreal battle. Tough loss for Brace. Had NINE match points... #CdnTennis pic.twitter.com/5ku7RcP0Cv

— Jacob Pacheco (@JacobPacheco6) November 16, 2025

============================================

SWIATEK SPINNING SMASH 🌪️💥@iga_swiatek | #BJKCup pic.twitter.com/hTBBqrgmy0

— Billie Jean King Cup (@BJKCup) November 16, 2025

B	POL(h) ...NZL,ROU	Iga Swiatek

....after a disappointing time at the WTA Finals, Swiatek had a final epilogue to tack onto her season, as she returned home to Poland to lead her nation's Cup squad from by BJK Playoffs back into the '26 Qualifiers. Swiatek went 2-0 vs. Elyse Tse (NZL) and Gabriela Lee (ROU), dropping a total of three games as Poland coasted without dropping a set over six matches.

Her two wins edged Swiatek one victory past Aryna Sabalenka (64 to 63) for the most tour-level wins (for which BJK victories, above zone play, have traditionally qualified) on tour in '25.

Gorzow is on its feet!

What a way to send @pzt_tenis to the 2026 #BJKCup Qualifiers from @iga_swiatek 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/Vvmb0DTCb3

— Billie Jean King Cup (@BJKCup) November 16, 2025

============================================

Joyfull reactions from Team Switzerland as they advance to the 2026 #BJKCup Qualifiers! 🙌@swiss_tennis pic.twitter.com/Dz0UvNDdCc

— Billie Jean King Cup (@BJKCup) November 16, 2025

C	SUI ...ARG(h),SVK	Simona Waltert

....a clutch performance from the Swiss team edged out the host Argentines, as the nation won a pair of deciding doubles contests en route to going 2-0 in round robin play.

Both nations took turns knocking off the Slovaks in the opening two ties, with Celine Naef & Waltert winning a DD to force a Sunday face-off for a spot in the Qualifiers vs. Argentina. After wins from Julia Riera (ARG) and Waltert, Waltert returned once again with Naef to defeat Riera & Jazmin Ortenzi 6-4/6-1 to win Group E.

Waltert was the only player in the seven groups of three-nation round robins to post the highest possible total match win total (4) on the week. And Switzerland needed every single point, with all of them coming in "live" matches.

Switzerland are victorious in the tie 🇨🇭

Celine Naef and Simona Waltert take the doubles match 7-5 6-3, leading to a winner-take-all #BJKCup Play-off tie Sunday against Argentina 🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/ZEetLTS0LL

— Billie Jean King Cup (@BJKCup) November 15, 2025

Results and Impressions🎾

What a win! 🇨🇭🔥 Switzerland defeats Argentina 2:1 and keeps its spot in the top tier of tennis.
couldn’t be prouder of our girls! ❤️#SupportTheSwiss #buildthenextgeneration #billiejeankingcup #bielbienne #Securitas #Sky pic.twitter.com/KMpNFmGS2t

— Swiss Tennis (@swiss_tennis) November 16, 2025

============================================

"Too good!" 🙌

What a rally from Nikola Bartunkova! 😮‍💨@jsmeceskytenis |#BJKCup pic.twitter.com/9795HZblkK

— Billie Jean King Cup (@BJKCup) November 14, 2025

D	CZE ...COL,CRO(h)	Linda Noskova

....befitting the farewell tour/changing-of-the-guard that this year's Cup competition represented for the Czechs, new national #1 Noskova fittingly played the part of leader in Varazdin (CRO) as she led the Czechs into the '26 Qualifiers with a triumphant Sunday two-fer in a final tie for all the Group D marbles.

The Czechs opened RR play with a 3-0 win over Colombia (w/ Noskova def. Camila Osorio), then faced off with their Croatian hosts in a winners-take-all closing tie. After Croatia's Petra Marcinko defeated Nikola Bartunkova, followed by Noskova's win over Antonia Ruzic, Noskova returned alongside Lucie Havlickova to defeat Jana Fett & Marcinko in a deciding doubles three-setter to advance.

Marcinko, along with seeking her nation's win in the Group, had been seeking a 4-0 combined s/d week heading into her second deciding doubles match of the weekend.

Czechia have done it! 🇨🇿

An incredible battle sees @jsmeceskytenis heading to the 2026 #BJKCup Qualifiers 👏 pic.twitter.com/Ym7ortoCAw

— Billie Jean King Cup (@BJKCup) November 16, 2025

By the way, this week's competition officially marks the end of the Petr Pala era of captaincy for the Czech team, an unmatched 17-year stretch for a national captain during which his charges won six Cup titles (the most ever won by a nation's captain). Barbora Strycova will assume the reigns in 2026.

Po dnešním vítězství nad Chorvatskem se udržel český tým ve světové skupině BJKC.💪

Pro Petra Pálu jako kapitána byl duel ve Varaždínu tím posledním. Končí po 17 letech, během kterých vyhrál s týmem šestkrát Fed Cup a stal se tak nejúspěšnějším kapitánem v historii soutěže.🎩 pic.twitter.com/em0sxfs7jm

— Sporťák (@SportakCZ) November 16, 2025

petr pala on my screen 🩷🩷💞💞💞💞💞🩷🩷💞🩷💞🩷 pic.twitter.com/ah6idsN56Y

— ola (@muchovestie) November 16, 2025

============================================

Rising to the occasion 🚀

The moment Maya Joint secured Team Australia's place in the #BJKCup Qualifiers. pic.twitter.com/sDuEVX6Ssx

— Billie Jean King Cup (@BJKCup) November 16, 2025

E	AUS(h) ...BRA,POR	Maya Joint

....the Aussies enjoyed home cooking in Hobart, winning a pair of three-setters in an all-or-nothing, play-closing tie vs. Brazil. After Kimberly Birrell outlasted 15-year old Nauhany Leme Da Silva (who'd posted her first Cup win in the previous tie, two months after winning a maiden MD tour-level-match in Sao Paulo), Joint saved a 2nd set MP vs. Laura Pigossi en route to the clincher.

Meanwhile, spare a moment of silence for Portugal's Jorge sisters, Francisca and Matilde, who combined to go 0-for-the-family in five s/d matches across three ties.

Remember the name 🌟🇧🇷

15-year-old Nauhany Vitoria Leme Da Silva defeats M. Jorge 7-5 6-4 to give Team Brazil a 1-0 lead against Team Portugal.#BJKCup pic.twitter.com/87IwkgghBF

— Billie Jean King Cup (@BJKCup) November 15, 2025

============================================

F	BEL ...GER(h),TUR	Hanne Vandewinkel

....Belgium (captained by Wim Fissette) battled from behind to take the win, claiming the deciding doubles vs. Turkey (after Vandewinkel kept the tie alive with a win over Zeynep Sonmez), with Sofia Costoulas/Magali Kempen defeating Ayla Aksu/Ipek Oz 4-6/7-6(1)/7-6(7) after saving two MP in the 3rd set TB, then handing Germany its fourth straight match loss of the long weekend with a 2-0 win on Sunday.

In the final tie, U.S. Open girls' champ (and recent Junior Finals winner) Jeline Vandromme celebrated her 18th birthday with a three-set win over Anna-Lena Friedsam.

Best birthday present ever 🎁

Jeline Vandromme wins the first match of the tie for Belgium on her 18th birthday 🎂#BJKCup pic.twitter.com/eDgPEknm8Q

— Billie Jean King Cup (@BJKCup) November 16, 2025

Vandewinkel then clinched the Waffles' advancement with a love & 4 win over Ella Seidel. Seidel had opened play with a singles win in the first tie of the competition (vs. TUR), but it turned out to be the host nation's only victory. Germany lost three straight three setters (including a big win from Sonmez over Eva Lys in a love 3rd set).

What a performance from Hanne Vandewinkel! 🔥🇧🇪 With brilliant, fearless tennis, she puts Belgium up 2–0 and so Belgium eals the win over Germany — sending us back to the World Group in April.
Proud of this fight. ❤️💛🖤 pic.twitter.com/kVC3qkigmv

— Tennis Belgium (@TennisBelgium) November 16, 2025

============================================

Slovenia, led by Tamara Zidansek and Kaja Juvan, guided the visitor to a 2-1 win over India in the Billie Jean King Cup play-offs on Saturday. With two straight victories in two days, Slovenia topped the group and advanced to the Qualifiers round. India and the Netherlands, who… pic.twitter.com/mTZ43FaAnk

— Sportstar (@sportstarweb) November 16, 2025

G	SLO ...NED,IND(h)	Tamara Zidansek

....Zidansek (with two tie-opening wins) and Kaja Juvan (two Match #2 clinchers) both went undefeated over two ties as Slovenia's 4-0 singles mark wrapped up the Group victory with an entire day left to play (NED def. IND on Sunday to finish 2nd), making the nation the only to do so of the seven that advanced this weekend.

Slovenia last played in the BJK Finals event in 2023, reaching the nation's first Cup semis.

Slovenia win the tie 🇸🇮

Kaja Juvan wins a lengthy battle against Susan Lamens 💪@Teniskazveza | #BJKCup pic.twitter.com/9Ny3YOe9aV

— Billie Jean King Cup (@BJKCup) November 14, 2025

============================================






WHEELCHAIR: Yui Kamiji/JPN ...the wheelchair season-ending championships (aka the Wheelchair Masters) took place this week in Huzhou, China. Diede de Groot, who won six straight titles from 2017-23 before hip surgery last year, was absent for a second straight November, leading to yet another opportunity clutched with both hands by Kamiji.

The Japanese veteran swept the s/d titles, winning her third Masters singles crown (second in a row) and fourth in doubles. Her 6-2/6-2 victory in the final over Li Xiaohui avenged her loss to the Chinese woman in round robin play, and improved her mark in their head-to-head to 8-3 (5-3 in '25).

The 33-time slam champ (and double Paralympic Gold winner last year) completes her best career big-title season, adding this win to her triumphs in Melbourne, Paris and New York (w/ a RU at Wimbledon), as well as taking her second big WD crown of the year (w/ RG) via her title alongside Zhu Zhenzhen. The 1-6/6-0 [10-8] win over Li & Wang Ziying, who'd been looking to add to a '25 haul that included three major titles, allows Zhu to beat her countrywomen to the punch by becoming the first Chinese woman to win a Wheelchair Masters crown.

This season, Li & Wang had become the first-ever Chinese doubles slam winners at the AO, RG and U.S., with Wang also being the maiden singles winner from the nation at Wimbledon (denying Kamiji in the SW19 final the lone major title she's never won, a feat only previously accomplished amongst women's rollers by de Groot).

AN INCREDIBLE TURNAROUND! 🤩

Yui Kamiji and Zhenzhen Zhu recover from a 6-1 defeat in the first set to win the second set 6-0 and 10-8 in the tiebreak.

They are your 2025 UNIQLO Wheelchair Masters Women's Doubles Champions! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/A09MorcrRt

— ITF (@ITFTennis) November 15, 2025

Ons Jabeur is going to be a mom! ❤️

(via her IG) pic.twitter.com/890aYN6iqG

— Bastien Fachan (@BastienFachan) November 10, 2025

Hi @Daria_gav 👋🇦🇺

Expectant mum Daria Saville showing her support for Team Australia in Hobart!#BJKCup pic.twitter.com/cEvf9odneA

— Billie Jean King Cup (@BJKCup) November 14, 2025

Gaby Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe are the 2nd team from the 2025 WTA finals to end their partnership after Muhammad and Schuurs. pic.twitter.com/LS2k5cDTU7

— LaWanda (@lawanda50) November 10, 2025

Timeless, bold, and full of fire. Grateful to join the 2026 #PirelliCalendar. ❤️‍🔥 @pirelli

Photographer: Sølve Sundsbø pic.twitter.com/YBBDrNmxEV

— Venus Williams (@Venuseswilliams) November 15, 2025

64

— Cate🎾 (@cate_tennis) November 16, 2025

Vera Zvonareva has appeared on the entry list of the ITFW75 Fujairah, seemingly hinting at a comeback!

She currently lives in the UAE and offers tennis lessons to young kids. So nice to see her back on the entry list of a professional tournament! pic.twitter.com/c76LepzeAT

— WTARussians (@WTArussians) November 13, 2025

*BACKSPIN FED CUP/BJK CUP AWARDS*
*-non-title winning nation
[FED CUP/BJK CUP PLAYER OF YEAR - season]
2005 Elena Dementieva, RUS
2006 Francesca Schiavone, ITA
2007 Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS
2008 Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS
2009 Flavia Pennetta, ITA
2010 Flavia Pennetta, ITA
2011 Petra Kvitova, CZE
2012 Petra Kvitova, CZE
2013 Roberta Vinci, ITA
2014 Petra Kvitova, CZE
2015 Karolina Pliskova, CZE
2016 Caroline Garcia, FRA*
2017 CoCo Vandeweghe, USA
2018 Petra Kvitova, CZE
2019 Ash Barty, AUS*
2020-21 Jil Teichmann, SUI*
2022 Belinda Bencic, SUI
2023 Leylah Fernandez, CAN
2024 Iga Swiatek, POL*
2025 Elina Svitolina, UKR*
[FED CUP/BJK CUP CAPTAIN OF YEAR - season]
2015 Amelie Mauresmo, FRA*
2016 Paul Haarhuis, NED*
2017 Kathy Rinaldi, USA
2018 Kathy Rinaldi, USA*
2019 Julien Benneteau, FRA
2020-21 Igor Andreev, RUS (RTF)
2022 Alicia Molik, AUS*
2023 Tathiana Garbin, ITA*
2024 Matej Liptak, SVK*
2025 Tathiana Garbin, ITA
[FED CUP/BJK CUP FINALS MVP]
2002 Daniela Hantuchova, SVK
2003 Amelie Mauresmo, FRA
2004 Anastasia Myskina, RUS
2005 Elena Dementieva, RUS
2006 Francesa Schiavone, ITA
2007 Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS
2008 Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS
2009 Flavia Pennetta, ITA
2010 Flavia Pennetta, ITA
2011 Petra Kvitova, CZE
2012 Lucie Safarova, CZE
2013 Roberta Vinci, ITA
2014 Petra Kvitova, CZE
2015 Karolina Pliskova, CZE
2016 Barbora Strycova, CZE
2017 CoCo Vandeweghe, USA
2018 Katerina Siniakova, CZE
2019 Kristina Mladenovic, FRA
2021 Liudmila Samsonova, RUS (RTF)
2022 Belinda Bencic, SUI
2023 Leylah Fernandez, CAN
2024 Sara Errani/Jasmine Paolini, ITA
2025 Jasmine Paolini, ITA

*WHEELCHAIR TENNIS MASTERS CHAMPIONS*
[singles]
1994 Monique Kalkman, NED
1995 Monique Kalkman, NED
1996 Chantal Vandierendonck, NED
1997 Maaike Smit, NED
1998 Esther Vergeer, NED
1999 Esther Vergeer, NED
2000 Esther Vergeer, NED
2001 Esther Vergeer, NED
2002 Esther Vergeer, NED
2003 Esther Vergeer, NED
2004 Esther Vergeer, NED
2005 Esther Vergeer, NED
2006 Esther Vergeer, NED
2007 Esther Vergeer, NED
2008 Esther Vergeer, NED
2009 Esther Vergeer, NED
2010 Esther Vergeer, NED
2011 Esther Vergeer, NED
2012 Jiske Griffioen, NED
2013 Yui Kamiji, JPN
2014 Aniek van Koot, NED
2015 Jiske Griffioen, NED
2016 Jiske Griffioen, NED
2017 Diede de Groot, NED
2018 Diede de Groot, NED
2019 Diede de Groot, NED
2020 DNP
2021 Diede de Groot, NED
2022 Diede de Groot, NED
2023 Diede de Groot, NED
2024 Yui Kamiji, JPN
2025 Yui Kamiji, JPN
[doubles]
2000 Daniela di Toro/Maaike Smit (AUS/NED)
2001 Maaike Smit/Esther Vergeer (NED/NED)
2002 Maaike Smit/Esther Vergeer (NED/NED)
2003 Maaike Smit/Esther Vergeer (NED/NED)
2004 Jiske Griffioen/Esther Vergeer (NED/NED)
2005 Jiske Griffioen/Esther Vergeer (NED/NED)
2006 Jiske Griffioen/Esther Vergeer (NED/NED)
2007 Jiske Griffioen/Esther Vergeer (NED/NED)
2008 Jiske Griffioen/Esther Vergeer (NED/NED)
2009 Korie Homan/Esther Vergeer (NED/NED)
2010 Aniek Van Koot/Sharon Walraven (NED/NED)
2011 Esther Vergeer/Sharon Walraven (NED/NED)
2012 Jiske Griffioen/Aniek Van Koot (NED/NED)
2013 Yui Kamiji/Jordanne Whiley (JPN/GBR)
2014 Yui Kamiji/Jordanne Whiley (JPN/GBR)
2015 Jiske Griffioen/Aniek Van Koot (NED/NED)
2016 Diede de Groot/Lucy Shuker (NED/GBR)
2017 Marjolein Buis/Diede de Groot (NED/NED)
2018 Marjolein Buis/Aniek Van Koot (NED/NED)
2019 Diede de Groot/Aniek Van Koot (NED/NED)
2020 DNP
2021 Diede de Groot/Aniek Van Koot (NED/NED)
2022 Diede de Groot/Aniek Van Koot (NED/NED)
2023 Yui Kamiji/Kgothatso Montjane (JPN/RSA)
2024 Jiske Griffioen/Aniek Van Koot (NED/NED)
2025 Yui Kamiji/Zhu Zhenzhen (JPN/CHN)

We gotta have a clear term for people so cynical they become gullible.

— Adam Serwer (@adamserwer.bsky.social) November 12, 2025 at 11:55 AM

For real, check this out. Evil.

[image or embed]

— Parker Molloy (@parkermolloy.com) November 14, 2025 at 12:55 PM

🐻🐔😂 pic.twitter.com/V2l5uXD8DN

— 🍀Louie Kerr 🇮🇪💚 (@LouieKerr8) November 16, 2025

Gulliver's Travels, Ants edition

pic.twitter.com/vht2lYNafF

— Science girl (@sciencegirl) November 16, 2025

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Diede de Groot (@diededegroot)

WTA slam winners in 2025: Madison, Coco, Iga and, finally, Aryna...

Cat hotel
pic.twitter.com/1fIRs2PLhK

— Science girl (@sciencegirl) November 14, 2025

All for now.