Pegula, Collins to lead U.S. Billie Jean King Cup debut at April qualifiers in Slovakia
The United States Billie Jean King Cup team will begin its 2025 campaign with a formidable squad led by singles stars Jessica Pegula and Danielle Collins. Captain Lindsay Davenport also named McCartney Kessler, Asia Muhammad and Desirae Krawczyk to the American team announced Thursday to compete in qualifying against Denmark and hosts Slovakia from April 11-13 in Bratislava.
Pegula, Collins and Top 15 doubles players Muhammad and Krawczyk are all BJK Cup returners, while the 25-year-old Kessler has earned her first nomination after winning her second WTA singles title earlier this season in Hobart.
The qualifying stage for the 'World Cup of Tennis' features 18 nations competing in six round-robin groups around the world, with the winner of each group advancing to the Finals to compete for the championship. The Finals will be an eight-nation bracket competition played the second week of November in Shenzhen, China, with defending champions Italy and hosts China already confirmed as participants.
The all-time leader in Billie Jean King Cup titles with 18, the U.S. team is seeking its first trophy in the competition since 2017. More recently, the U.S. has won United Cup titles in 2023 and 2025.
After being knocked out of the 2024 BJK Cup Finals by Slovakia in the first round, the U.S. has a chance to avenge that defeat against the host nation on April 13—one day after their opener against Denmark. The USA is 2-0 all-time vs. Denmark (1990 and 1992 second rounds) and 0-2 vs. Slovakia (2021 Finals group stage; 2024 Finals first round).
United States Billie Jean King Cup Team
The three nations will compete in Group C on an indoor hard court inside Peugeot Arena at Slovakia’s National Tennis Center in Bratislava. Each matchup is a best-of-three tie featuring two singles and one doubles match, all best-of-three tiebreak sets. Captains submit their singles and doubles lineups one hour prior to the start of each tie. While the winner of the group advances to the Finals, the second- and third-place finishers must then compete in the Playoff round, also in November and also played in round-robin groups, in order to return to the qualifying pool for 2026.
Meet the U.S. Billie Jean King Cup Team for 2025 Qualifying
Pegula, 31, is the second-ranked American in singles at No. 4 and recently won her seventh career WTA singles title in Austin amid a seven-match win streak. A 2024 US Open singles finalist, Pegula has clinched Qualifying victory for the U.S. in Billie Jean King Cup each of the last three years.
Collins, 31, is ranked No. 14 in singles and was ranked as high as No. 8 last year. A 2022 Australian Open singles finalist, Collins has a 7-2 career singles record in Billie Jean King Cup competition and has competed in four consecutive Billie Jean King Cup Finals.
Kessler, 25, is ranked a career-high No. 48 in singles. Already this year she won her second career WTA singles title (Hobart) and reached her third career final (Austin) in only her second year competing on tour. This is her debut Billie Jean King Cup nomination.
Muhammad, 33, is ranked a career-high No. 10 in doubles. She won three of her 11 career WTA titles in 2024, and helped the USA advance to the 2022 Finals with a decisive Qualifying doubles victory (with Pegula) in her only BJK Cup appearance to date.
Krawczyk, 31, is ranked No. 15 in doubles and has been ranked as high as No. 7. A four-time Grand Slam mixed doubles champion, Krawczyk won her 15th career WTA doubles title this year in Singapore. She was also a member of the U.S. team for 2022 Qualifying.
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