Extraterrestrial event. Czech tennis cheers, the reformed Fed Cup is heading to Prague
It was originally supposed to be played on clay in Budapest, but last year the tournament was canceled due to coronavirus, this year it was postponed in May, the Hungarian capital is giving up. The President of the Czech Tennis Association Ivo Kaderka informed for the first time about the possibility of taking over the final in June and the agreement was signed after the Czech government provided the event with 65 million crowns from the budget reserve on Monday.
The Czechs were given a wild card to the winning tournament and in group D they will compete against Switzerland and Germany according to a draw from last year. Australia, Belarus, Belgium, France, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, the USA and, more recently, Canada will also take part, replacing Hungary.
“I’m full of extremely positive emotions and it’s very lucky,” Kaderka rejoiced at the top event, which will play for the first time in a new model and under a new name.
“It is probably the biggest sporting event for the Czechia as it has ever been. Tennis is the third most widespread sport in the world after football and basketball, and the Czech Republic will meet the twelve best teams on the planet. Prague, “he said at a press conference.
Priority will be given to vaccinated spectators
Advance ticket sales will begin at the end of September and audience participation will depend on current government regulations on the coronavirus situation. I currently go to the halls of 3,000 people with a coronavirus test, after having covid-19 in the last 180 days or with vaccinations. However, the capacity of the venue will be able to be fully used, but above the mentioned limits it will be possible to add only people after covide or with a vaccine.
“We managed to get an extraterrestrial event and I believe that people who like tennis will be vaccinated so that they can encourage our girls to win in Prague,” Kaderka said.
Captain Petr Pála’s trustees are the most successful team in the competition of the last decade. Since 2011, he has won six of the eleven trophies. The remaining five titles were won by Czechoslovakia. The Czechs last celebrated the Silver Cup after the final in 2018, while at that time the old system was still being played. And just three years ago, the title was played for the last time in Prague.
The Czech capital has already hosted the final tournament. In 1986, it took place on clay in Štvanice and the event of the week was the return of Martina Navrátilová to her native country after 11 years. The legendary player already represented the USA at that time and helped them to triumph.
Bucket list ✅@BillieJeanKing see you in Prague at the first final of the Billie Jean King Cup?#BJKCup pic.twitter.com/rOgrUvae0C
– Billie Jean King Cup (@BJKCup) August 27, 2021
Until last year, the competition was called the Fed Cup. She is now named 12-time Grand Slam winner and Billie Jean King, a fighter for gender equality and social justice. “I would like to thank the ITF and the Czech Republic for doing everything in their power to organize the tournament for all the challenges and circumstances,” she said in King, who will come to Prague for the first time in her life.
The prizes for the winning tournament participants also increased by $ 18 million.