Teams announced for the Billie Jean King Cup in Pune: Lulu Sun (Wimbledon QF) to play

The Billie Jean King Cup 2025 Asia/Oceania Group I event is set to take place at the MSLTA School of Tennis in Pune, India, from April 8-12^{. Six countries will compete in this prestigious event: Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong (China), India, Korea Republic, New Zealand, and Thailand.}  

The teams are as follows:

The Billie Jean King Cup, formerly known as the Federation Cup, is the premier international team competition in women’s tennis. The Asia/Oceania Group I event is a crucial stage in the tournament, with significant implications for the participating teams.

Format and Stakes

The tournament will be held in a round-robin format. The top-2 teams at the end of the event will qualify for the playoffs, scheduled to be held in November. The Play-offs will consist of the nine nations advancing from Group I, as well as 12 teams who finish either 2nd or 3rd in their Qualifiers groups in April.

However, the stakes are equally high at the other end of the table. The bottom 2 teams will face relegation, adding an intense layer of competition as teams battle to secure their position in Group I.

Player Rankings and Team Strengths

A look at the WTA rankings reveals the competitive landscape of the tournament.

• Thailand fields a strong team with Mananchaya Sawangkaew ranked 113th and Lanlana Tararudee ranked 166th in singles.  
• India will rely on the experience of Ankita Raina, ranked 294th, and the emerging talent of Sahaja Yamalapalli and Shrivalli Bhamidipaty, both ranked just above 300.  
• New Zealand‘s team is led by Lulu Sun, who holds an impressive rank of 49.  
• Other teams also have competitively ranked players, making this a very level playing field
• Chinese Taipei’s Joanna Garland is ranked 246 and Hong Kong, China’s Hong Yi Cody Wong is ranked 346.  

Doubles play will also be crucial, with several players holding strong doubles rankings. Fang-Hsien Wu (Chinese Taipei) is ranked 34th, Prarthana Thombare (India) is ranked 140th, and Eudice Chong (Hong Kong, China) is ranked 125th in doubles.