In a significant move for the Spanish Billie Jean King Cup team, Carla Suárez Navarro has been named the new captain, bringing her wealth of experience and passion back to the Hologic WTA Tour. Real Federación Española de Tenis announced the news this week, confirming that the highly-rated former world number 6 will succeed Anabel Medina Garrigues, who has led the team since 2017, for the 2025 and 2026 seasons.
Expressing his gratitude, Suárez Navarro said: “It is a great honor to assume the captaincy of the Spanish Billie Jean King Cup team, and I thank the federation for the confidence it has placed in me for this challenge Representing my country for many years has been one of the highlights of my career, and I look forward to starting this new chapter from behind the scenes. My goal is to leverage my professional experience to inspire our players and guarantee. that Spain continues to embody commitment and teamwork in this prestigious competition.”
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Suárez Navarro’s illustrious career on court has spanned over a decade, during which time she passionately represented Spain in the BJK Cup, making her debut in 2008. She holds an impressive overall record of 19 wins and 12 losses in the tournament, with a remarkable 17-9 in singles, placing her among the top five players with double-digit singles wins in team history. She is second only to tennis legends Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and Conchita Martinez in terms of total wins.
Her last appearance on the professional stage was during the 2021 Billie Jean King Cup Finals, where she wore her country’s colors in an emotional farewell, following her victory against Hodgkin’s lymphoma. In that group stage match against Slovakia, she played both singles and doubles, concluding her career on her own terms.
As captain, Suárez Navarro is set to make her debut in the qualifying rounds next April, with aspirations of leading Spain, currently ranked 10th in the BJK Cup standings, to a place in the finals later in the year.
