The Billie Jean King Cup is women’s tennis’s premier international team competition. Nations play head-to-head ties selected by captains, with singles and doubles matches combining to decide who advances.
The modern format blends home-and-away ties in the Qualifiers with a season-ending Finals stage that crowns the champion.
What a Billie Jean King Cup “Tie” Is
A matchup between two countries is called a tie. In the current home-and-away format, ties are played across two days and follow a best-of-five matches structure:
- Day 1: two singles matches
- Day 2: doubles match first, then two reverse singles matches
The first nation to win three matches wins the tie. All matches are played as best-of-three tiebreak sets.
How Team Selection Works
Each nation names a squad for the tie. Captains select:
- the two singles players for Day 1
- the doubles team (often critical in a close tie)
- the singles players for the reverse singles on Day 2
Lineups can change based on matchups, surface, and fitness.
The Competition Structure: Qualifiers to Finals
The path to the title runs through two main stages:
1) Qualifiers (home-and-away ties)
From 2026, Qualifiers ties use the two-day format described above, with doubles guaranteed on Day 2 (played first).
Winners progress to the Finals stage.
2) Finals (season-ending championship)
The Finals determine the champion and have moved to an eight-team finale (rather than 12 teams), staged in China in recent editions.
At the Finals stage, ties are typically shorter-format ties (two singles and one doubles).
What Makes the Billie Jean King Cup Different From Tour Tennis
This is not a weekly tour event. It’s national-team tennis, which changes everything:
- Captains make tactical lineup calls
- Teammates coach and support courtside
- Doubles can swing the entire tie
- Home crowds and surface choice matter more
It’s closer to a World Cup model than a standard WTA tournament week.
Scoring and Tiebreak Rules
- Matches are best-of-three sets
- Standard tiebreaks apply at 6–6
- In home-and-away ties, the tie can end early once a nation reaches three match wins
Frequently Asked Questions
How many matches are played in a Qualifiers tie?
Up to five: four singles and one doubles across two days.
Is doubles guaranteed?
In the 2026 Qualifiers format, doubles is scheduled first on Day 2.
Is the Billie Jean King Cup best-of-five sets?
No. Matches are best-of-three sets.
How does a country win the tie?
By winning three matches in the five-match tie format.
