Eight-time Grand Slam champion Samantha Stosur is banking on a strong camaraderie within the Australia team to help topple Mexico in her debut as captain at the Billie Jean King Cup.
Stosur was pivotal as a player to Australia reaching the tournament final in 2019 and 2022, but hung up her racquet last year and will make her bow as skipper at Brisbane’s Pat Rafter Arena on Friday.
Ranked two to Mexico’s 19, Arina Rodionova and Storm Hunter spearhead Australia’s singles charge in the qualifier against Giuliana Olmos and Marcela Zacarias respectively.
Doubles world number three Hunter and eighth-ranked Ellen Perez will team up as Australia’s combination to meet Olmos and Zacarias in the fifth rubber, after the reverse singles.
Stosur, who finished her playing career with a 39-21 Billie Jean King Cup record, said the team dynamic would be crucial in helping navigate her switch to captain.
“At the end of the day first and foremost they know that I’ve got their back and we’re friends,” she said.
“There hasn’t been any really tough conversations yet so that’s good.
“But when the time comes I think we’ve all got enough respect for each other.”
Stosur won the 2011 US Open and reached a career-high of world number four that year. She is also a four-time Grand Slam doubles and three-time mixed doubles champion.
Rodionova, ranked 103, last opened a Billie Jean King Cup tie against Slovakia in 2016 and faces doubles specialist Olmos as she bids to get Australia off to a winning start.
“Eight years, feels like it was yesterday,” said Rodionova.
“Of course, we’ve had such a strong team the last few years, so it’s a great honour to be part of it again.”
The winners will seal a place at November’s season-ending finals in Seville alongside defending champions Canada, 2023 runners-up Italy, hosts Spain and wildcard Czech Republic.
