2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin will replace Madison Keys on the U.S. Billie Jean King Cup team in next week's Qualifier against Austria in Delray Beach, Fla.
The 24-year-old Kenin last played for captain Kathy Rinaldi's team in the 2020 qualifying round, shortly after she won her first Grand Slam title at that year's Australian Open. She went 2-1 in three matches played in the U.S.'s 3-2 win against Latvia in Everett, Wash., which included a victory alongside Bethanie Mattek-Sands in the fifth and deciding doubles rubber.
Kenin has played in four ties for the U.S. Billie Jean King Cup team since making her debut in the 2018 Finals against the Czech Republic. She'll join a U.S. team that includes the Americans' two Top 10 players, world No. 3 Jessica Pegula and No. 6 Coco Gauff, as well as 2021 Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins, and two-time doubles Grand Slam finalist Caty McNally.
The two-time Slam finalist has been resurgent in 2023 so far after struggling with injuries for much of the last 18 months. In January, she reached the semifinals at the WTA 250 in Hobart, Australia—her first WTA semifinal since she was runner-up at Roland Garros three years ago.
Kenin in her last Billie Jean King Cup action. Photo by Mike Lawrence/USTA.
Tickets for the two-day tie, which will be played from April 14-15 at the Delray Beach Tennis Center, are on sale now. Billie Jean King is also set to attend the competition, which has been named in her honor since 2020.
Click here to purchase Billie Jean King Cup Qualifier tickets on Ticketmaster
The Qualifier is a best-of-five match series that begins Friday, April 14, with two singles matches. Two reverse singles matches and a doubles match will follow on Saturday, April 15, with an amended Saturday schedule possible if one nation clinches victory in the third or fourth singles match.
The winning nations in the 2023 Qualifiers will advance to the 2023 Finals, a field which will be rounded out by either the hosts of the 2023 competition (if not already qualified, when the host venue is announced) or the highest-ranked loser of a qualifying tie.
Sign up for our Newsletter
Download the USTA App
