U.S. to Play Poland in Fed Cup Action in Hawaii
The USTA has announced that the Holua Tennis Center at Holua Resort at Mauna Loa Village in Kailua Kona, Hawaii, has been selected as the site for the 2016 Fed Cup by BNP Paribas World Group II First Round between the United States and Poland, Feb. 6-7. Fed Cup is the world’s largest annual international team competition in women’s sport with approximately 100 nations taking part each year.
The best-of-five match series begins on Saturday, Feb. 6, with two singles matches. It is followed by two reverse singles matches and the doubles match on Sunday, Feb. 7. Matches will be played on an outdoor hard court. U.S. Fed Cup Team Captain Mary Joe Fernandez will select the four players to represent the United States no later than 10 days prior to the event. Poland is likely to be led by Agnieszka Radwanska, currently ranked sixth in the world.
This is the first time that Hawaii will host Fed Cup, becoming the 16th state to host this prestigious competition. Hawaii hosted Davis Cup, the men’s equivalent to Fed Cup, in Kohala Coast at the Mauna Lani Racquet Club in the 1992 World Group First Round, where the U.S. team of Andre Agassi, John McEnroe and Pete Sampras swept Argentina, 5-0. Hawaii also hosts a $50,000 USTA Pro Circuit men’s Challenger in mid-January in Maui and will be joined by a $50,000 USTA Pro Circuit women’s event that same week in Maui in 2016.
“We are thrilled to bring Fed Cup to Hawaii, as the USTA continues to grow the game of tennis in communities nationwide,” said Katrina Adams, USTA chairman of the board, CEO, and president. “Kailua Kona will create a one-of-a-kind atmosphere for Fed Cup and is a perfect location for our players. We look forward to Hawaii fans filling the stands and coming out to cheer Team USA to victory.”
The winner of this match advances to the World Group Playoff, held April 16-17, to compete for a spot in the 2017 World Group. The losing nation will play in the World Group II Playoff in April to remain in World Group II in 2017. The U.S. will compete in World Group II in 2016 for just the third time since the World Group format was instituted in 1995. (The U.S. also competed in the World Group II in 2012 and 2015; it has competed in the World Group all other years.)
The United States holds a 3-0 record over Poland in Fed Cup. The U.S. last faced Poland in the 1990 World Group First Round in Atlanta, sweeping the tie, 3-0. The U.S., who also faced Poland in 1974 and 1980, has never lost a point in Fed Cup to Poland. This will be the United States’ first home tie since 2014 in St. Louis, as the team competed on the road against Argentina and Italy this year.
“We are all excited about the opportunity to host the Fed Cup here in Hawaii,” said Ron Romano, USTA Hawaii Pacific executive director. “We look forward to extending our Aloha Spirit to the players and everyone involved so they have a memorable experience.”
