ORLANDO, Fla., September 27, 2023 – The USTA introduced that Corridor-of-Famer, Grand Slam champion and four-time year-end global No. 1 Lindsay Davenport would be the subsequent captain of the U.S. Billie Jean King Cup group. A 3-time Billie Jean King Cup champion, Davenport will change into the group’s twentieth captain following the 2023 Finals, which can be captained via Kathy Rinaldi.
“Taking part in Billie Jean King Cup used to be at all times one thing that used to be an enormous precedence and an enormous spotlight for me throughout my profession. I at all times felt an amazing quantity of delight representing my nation, and I’m excited to do it now in a unique function,” Davenport stated. “Becoming a member of a prestigious record of U.S. captains is an improbable honor, and with the crowd of avid gamers that we have got now and their nice personalities, I in reality couldn’t ask for a greater time to have this place.”
Davenport used to be one of the vital a success U.S. Billie Jean King Cup avid gamers in historical past, serving to to guide the U.S. to titles in 1996, 1999 and 2000. She performed in 20 ties over a document 11 years, going 26-3 in singles and 7-0 in doubles. Her 26 singles victories are tied with Billie Jean King for 2nd all-time for the U.S., in the back of chief Chris Evert, and her 33 general wins rank fourth, in the back of Evert, King and Rosie Casals.
Davenport used to be inducted into the Global Tennis Corridor of Reputation in 2014 after a profession that noticed her win 3 Grand Slam singles and doubles titles, together with the 1996 Olympic Gold Medal in singles. She received 55 singles and 38 doubles titles in all, spent 98 weeks as the arena No. 1 and used to be the year-end No. 1 in 1998, 2001 and 2004-05.
Since retiring in 2010, Davenport has labored as a commentator and as a trainer, significantly of American Madison Keys. As captain, Davenport can have a year-round function with USTA Participant Construction, touring to enhance American avid gamers and serving as a mentor for American professionals and juniors.
“Lindsay has been the embodiment of a champion all over her profession, and few avid gamers have had as a lot luck taking part in for his or her nation as she has,” stated Brian Hainline, Chairman of the Board and President, USTA. “We’re excited to welcome her revel in and management again to the Billie Jean King Cup group at a time when the existing and long term of American ladies’s tennis couldn’t be brighter.”
Present captain Kathy Rinaldi, who will proceed on as USTA Participant Construction’s Head of Girls’s Tennis after stepping down from the captaincy, will lead the U.S. within the upcoming Billie Jean King Cup via Gainbridge Finals November 7-12 in Seville, Spain. The Finals will function 12 countries competing in 4 round-robin teams of 3, with the crowd winners qualifying for the knockout semifinals. The U.S. used to be drawn into Team A with Switzerland and the Czech Republic.
“I sit up for gazing and supporting the U.S. group within the Finals later this yr,” Davenport stated. “Kathy has been a terrific function type not to most effective the avid gamers now but in addition myself, and I sit up for proceeding what she began the final seven years. She’s carried out a outstanding process and I sit up for the U.S. confidently successful it this yr in order that once I’m captain, we’re protecting champions.”
