Five Australian women, including debutant Maya Joint, will battle Kazakhstan and Colombia at Pat Rafter Arena in Tennyson for a spot in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals.
The Australian Billie Jean King Cup team, led by captain Sam Stosur, is set to compete in Brisbane next month. The team includes Kimberly Birrell, Ajla Tomljanovic, Ellen Perez, and Storm Hunter, alongside 18-year-old Maya Joint, who will make her international debut.
Sixteen-year-old Emerson Jones will join the team as the Orange Girl and gain experience training with the senior players. The competition will occur at Pat Rafter Arena in Tennyson from 10 to 12 April, 2025.
Team Selection and Expectations
Stosur expressed her excitement about the team, highlighting Birrell’s recent form, achieving a career-high world ranking. She also emphasised Tomljanovic’s experience, competitive spirit, and the strength that Perez and Hunter bring to the doubles matches, especially following Hunter’s return from injury.
Stosur believes that Joint has earned her place in the team after a successful 12 months and is confident that she will perform well in her debut. The captain also spoke about the importance of including Jones as the Orange Girl, recognising her as a promising young player who will benefit from the experience.
Competition Details and Opponents
Australia will face Kazakhstan and Colombia in a series of ties, each consisting of two singles and one doubles match. The winners of each group will advance to the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Shenzhen, China, in November. Kazakhstan will be led by top-10 player Elena Rybakina and three-time major quarterfinalist Yulia Putintseva, while Colombia will feature former world No.33 Camila Osorio.
The matches will be played on hard courts at Pat Rafter Arena. The first match will see Australia play Kazakhstan on Thursday, 10 April, at 12:00 p.m AEST. Colombia versus Kazakhstan will follow on Friday, 11 April, at 12:00 p.m. AEST, and Australia versus Colombia will follow on Saturday, 12 April, at 12:00 p.m. AEST.
Community and Ticket Information
The event aims to be accessible to the community, with kids entering free across all three days and adult tickets starting from $20. Two-day ticket packages for the Australian sessions are available from $30. Tickets are available for purchase through Ticketmaster. The event is expected to draw a large crowd, with local support for the Australian team.
Published Date 18-March-2025
