Orlando awaits Junior Davis Cup and Fed Cup
Lake Nona in Orlando, Florida, will play host to some of the world’s finest 16-and-under tennis talent when the 2019 Junior Davis Cup and Junior Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Finals get under way on September 24.
The two 16-team events, this year comprising a total of 26 nations, will take place on the clay of the the USTA National Campus, with the action to be live streamed on ITFTennis.com, DavisCup.com and FedCup.com from September 24-29.
All manner of fledgling tennis greats have played in the competition since its inception in 1985, including Goran Ivanisevic (1986), Jennifer Capriati (1989), Lindsay Davenport (1991), Gustavo Kuerten (1992), Roger Federer (1996) and Kei Nishikori (2005).
Before going on to win his 19 Grand Slam titles to date, Rafael Nadal tasted glory for Spain back in 2002, as did Junior Fed Cup champion Ashleigh Barty in 2011, and Canadian duo Felix Auger-Aliassime and Dennis Shapovalov, who won the Junior Davis Cup title in Madrid in 2015.
Last year’s Finals saw Spain lift the Junior Davis Cup in Budapest, Hungary, defeating second seeds France 2-1, while Coco Gauff, the breakout teenage star of 2019, powered USA’s title defence against Ukraine in the final, prevailing 2-1 on the clay.
Denmark’s Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune and Canada’s Leylah Annie Fernandez, both competitors in 2018, went on to become Junior Roland Garros champions a year later, as did Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti, who lifted the boys’ title at the Australian Open back in January.
The 32 teams to have reached Orlando later this month each emerged from regional qualifying events in all parts of the world. Ukraine will make their Junior Davis Cup debut, while Syria’s Junior Davis Cup team have also qualified, marking the first time the nation has ever featured at the finals of an ITF Junior team competition.
Wimbledon boys’ champion Shintaro Mochizuki will spearhead Japan’s chances, while Martin Damm and Toby Kodat lead a strong American team in the Junior Davis Cup. USA will also be key contenders to defend their Junior Fed Cup title, but will face stern resistance from the likes of Polina Kudermetova’s Russia.
Finals teams
Junior Davis Cup by BNP Paribas: Australia, Bolivia, Canada, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Japan, Morocco, Paraguay, Serbia, Spain, Syria, Ukraine, USA.
Junior Fed Cup by BNP Paribas: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Korea Rep, Morocco, Peru, Russia, Serbia, Thailand, USA.