The Culture Amp Australian Billie Jean King Cup team will enter their upcoming Qualifier tie against Great Britain well-prepared and motivated to return to the Finals.
After Australia missed out on the competition's Finals in 2025, following their second-place finish in their Qualifiers group in April, form is on their side, providing a selection conundrum for captain Sam Stosur.
Already one of the “hardest [squads] to pick”, settling on the players to feature on court was not any simpler.
> READ: Squad selected for Australia's BJK Cup tie against Great Britain
“It’s never easy [selecting the team]. Obviously first and foremost you pick the team coming into it and when you get here, then you’ve got to make that decision on who’s going to actually step out on the court,” Stosur said.
“Everyone’s practiced so well these last few days, we could have gone with at least four singles players playing on that first day … sometimes experience can make a difference.”
Talia Gibson was selected as Australia’s No.1 singles player for the tie following a breakout Sunshine Swing. She will open play on Friday against 17-year-old Mika Stojsavljevic, with both players playing for the first time in their BJK Cup careers.
Her second appearance at a BJK Cup tie, Gibson is excited about assuming the role of Australian singles No.1.
“I think it’s still a little bit of a shock to me that I’m now in this position after the last month with how I went in the US,” she said.
> MORE: Gibson riding full wave of confidence in the US
“But I want to take full confidence from that and sort of know that I belong in this position and that I’ve earned it. I’m really proud of how I’ve been playing and the work I’ve been putting in.
“I think when I go out tomorrow, I just want to enjoy that moment. You know my first match, this is what I’ve dreamed of, so I’m just full of excitement.”
Kimberly Birrell has been named as Australia’s No.2 singles player and will face British No.1 Harriet Dart in the second match on Friday.
> READ: Birrell eager for British Billie Jean King Cup challenge
Storm Hunter and Ellen Perez have once again been selected for the doubles rubber which will be played on Saturday. They will hope to maintain their strong 5-1 record as a pairing, before the reverse singles commences.
Opposing Dart and Jodie Burrage, who will compete in their first match as a pairing, Perez hopes she and Hunter can use their experience to their advantage.
“We’re very experienced in playing a lot of big matches on tour,” she said.
“Storm and I have played a lot together, so we have a lot of comfort in knowing that. They haven’t played at all together, but we’ll use that experience and knowledge and definitely try and put our best foot forward for that match.”
> LAST TIME THEY MET: Stosur clutch in swansong BJK Cup campaign
The rivalry will extend beyond the tennis court for British squad member Katie Swan this week given her Australian connection.
Swan is currently dating Alex Bolt and admits there has been some friendly banter between the couple.
“He actually lives with Ellen Perez, so we’ve had a bit of back and forth over if he was going to give me some inside scoop into the team. I don’t think Ellen’s given anything away to him either,” she joked.
“He’s decided to leave the country today, so he’s actually not going to be around for the tie, which is probably a good thing since I don’t think he was going to support us anyway.”
Australia hopes the tie will be a repeat of their most recent encounter against Great Britain, a 2-1 victory during the 2022 semifinals in Glasgow. They have won eight of 11 meetings against Great Britain and will be seeking their second victory on home soil.
2026 Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers Australia v Great Britain | ||||
| Day 1: Friday 10 April | ||||
| Talia Gibson (AUS) | 56 | v | Mika Stojsavljevic (GBR) | 275 |
| Kimberly Birrell (AUS) | 80 | v | Harriet Dart (GBR) | 173 |
| Day 2: Saturday 11 April | ||||
| Storm Hunter (AUS)/Ellen Perez (AUS) | 17/20 | v | Jodie Burrage (GBR)/Harriet Dart (GBR) | 200/129 |
| Talia Gibson (AUS) | 56 | v | Harriet Dart (GBR) | 173 |
| Kimberly Birrell (AUS) | 80 | v | Mika Stojsavljevic (GBR) | 275 |
You can watch Australia’s Qualifier tie against Great Britain on 10-11 April on the channels of the Nine Network.