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As the tennis courts at Pune's Mhalunge Balewadi complex prepare to welcome some of Asia's finest female tennis players for the Billie Jean King Cup 2025 Asia-Oceania Group-1 tournament. Beginning April 8, this prestigious event marks the first time in Pune's century-long tennis history that the city hosts this renowned competition.
The Suhana-sponsored Indian side, led by Vishal Uppal and guided by coach Radhika Kanitkar Tulpule, is eager to make a mark at the tournament with determination and home-ground advantage.
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India's team includes the highest-ranked singles player, Ankita Raina, new hopes Sahaja Yamalapalli, Shrivalli Bhamidipaty, Vaidehi Chaudhari, and doubles expert Prarthana Thombare. Fifteen-year-old wunderkind Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi is the reserve player in the squad.
"Everyone is looking forward to the tournament, and I think we are prepared. The team’s bonding well too, and we are waiting to get started," shared Ankita Raina.
"I would just tell them [the younger players] that you are playing for the country. Give your best. It's a lot of people's dream to be here and to be in this position. So just give your best and enjoy every moment out there. Don't worry about the result," she added.
India's games in the Billie Jean King Cup 2025 Asia-Oceania Group-1 will follow a round-robin format against five formidable teams, namely New Zealand, Chinese Taipei, Korean Republic, Thailand, and Hong Kong China, and only the top two teams will qualify for the playoffs. Therefore, every match is extremely important.
According to Shrivalli Bhamidipaty, the team's chemistry is its biggest strength.
"We all understand how each of us functions in the team, and we work accordingly. I think that's been the biggest plus point for us," she said. "And obviously, the seniors being on the tour for so long, they kind of give us good advice about when to do what. We're looking forward to some good competition, and I think we have a pretty strong team."
Among the global stars to follow is New Zealand's Lulu Sun, the competition's leading singles-ranked player at world No. 45. Sun scripted history in 2024 as the first New Zealand woman to have reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon and has a solid track record of seven singles and four doubles titles on the ITF Circuit.
Another strong contender is Taiwan's Wu Fang-Hsien, who is World No. 30 in doubles. Wu comes to the tournament in great shape after having won consecutive doubles titles in the Auckland Open and Hobart International this year, then qualifying for the WTA 1000 Qatar Open final and the semifinal of the WTA 1000 Miami Open in 2025.
India will begin their Billie Jean King Cup 2025 Asia-Oceania Group-1 campaign against New Zealand on Center Court, whereas the Republic of Korea play Chinese Taipei and Thailand play Hong Kong, China, on the adjacent courts. The tournament will kick off with a grand opening ceremony at 2:00 PM with engaging performances and celebrity appearances.
For just the second time in the tournament's history, the home team is gunning for a playoff spot. In 2020, India's best performance up to that point came courtesy of Sania Mirza's return to the squad, which helped the team finish second in the Asia-Oceania Pool stage with four wins from five games. However, they lost to Latvia 3-1 in their first playoff match.
Tournament director Sunder Iyer says Pune will be creating "history" by hosting maiden Billie Jean King Cup matches
Tournament Director and MSLTA Honorary Secretary Sunder Iyer expressed his excitement on the eve of the Billie Jean King Cup 2025 Asia-Oceania Group-1 matches and said:
"Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association is delighted to have the opportunity to host the Billie Jean King Cup Asia-Oceania Group 1 games in Pune. Pune will be creating history by hosting the BJKC for the first time in the century-long tennis history of the city."
Iyer further explained:
"We at AITA bid for the BJK Cup to ensure our girls get to play at home instead of traveling abroad. The weather, home food, and public support should provide them home advantage, and they should make the most of it."
“We at MSLTA have left no stone unturned for this tournament. The preparations are in place for the players to have a great tournament, and for fans to come and enjoy some incredible tennis. The entry is free for the tennis players from the city, state and country and we hope to see the best players entertain one and all," he added.
The tournament organizers have provided free entry for tennis players from all over the city, state, and country. Tennis fans can watch the action unfold live on DD Sports, the event's official broadcast partner.
