The USTA 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, February 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, February 6, with two singles matches. It is followed by two reverse singles matches and the doubles match on Sunday, February 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 ten days prior to the event. Poland is likely to be led by Agnieszka Radwanska, currently ranked No. 6 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.
Tickets will go on sale to the public on Friday, December 11. The USTA has partnered with the USTA Hawaii Pacific Section and the Hawaii Tourism Authority to bring this event to Kailua Kona, while the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay will be the host hotel.
“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.”
“We are honored that Hawai‘i was selected to serve as the host site for the Fed Cup,” said George D. Szigeti, HTA president and CEO. “Tennis is a globally popular sport and hosting this prestigious international event will elevate awareness of Hawai‘i as a premier sporting destination. We look forward to welcoming and sharing our Aloha spirit with players, fans and their families.”
The site selection is subject to final approval by the International Tennis Federation. Tennis Channel will present live daily coverage of the World Group II First Round.
The United States leads all nations with 17 Fed Cup titles, the last coming in 2000. The U.S. is 37-6 all-time in Fed Cup ties played at home and holds an overall 144-36 record. For more information, including access to player and historical Fed Cup records, please go to www.usta.com/fedcup or www.fedcup.com. Follow the U.S. Fed Cup Team on Twitter @USFedCupTeam. Wilson is the official ball of the U.S. Fed Cup Team.
The USTA is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the U.S. and the leader in promoting and developing the growth of tennis at every level -- from local communities to the highest level of the professional game. A not-for-profit organization with more than 715,000 members, it invests 100% of its proceeds in growing the game. It owns and operates the US Open, the highest-attended annual sporting event in the world, and launched the Emirates Airline US Open Series, linking seven summer tournaments to the US Open. In addition, it owns approximately 90 Pro Circuit events throughout the U.S. and selects the teams for the Davis Cup, Fed Cup, Olympic and Paralympic Games. The USTA’s philanthropic entity, the USTA Foundation, provides grants and scholarships and helps under-resourced youth and individuals with disabilities, and supports wounded, ill and injured service members, veterans and their families. For more information on the USTA, log on to usta.com, “like” the official Facebook page, facebook.com/usta, or follow @usta on Twitter. For more information, contact Amanda Korba, Coordinator, Corporate Communications, USTA, (914) 697-2219, korba@usta.com
Established in 1998, the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, the state’s tourism agency, is responsible for strategically managing tourism to optimize benefits for Hawai‘i that integrate the interest of visitors, the community and visitor industry. Tourism is the state’s leading economic driver and largest employer and the HTA continually works to ensure its sustainability well into the future. For more information on the HTA, please visit www.hawaiitourismauthority.org, find us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter (@HawaiiHTA) or subscribe to our YouTube Channel.
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