A broad representation of the 43 players who have represented Spain will receive recognition at the CT Puente Romano
MADRID, 8 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Royal Spanish Tennis Federation (RFET) will honor all the players who have represented the national team in the Billie Jean King Cup, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Spain’s debut in the competition, on April 15, coinciding with the tie against Mexico in Marbella.
“It has been half a century of history that we must celebrate as they deserve. From the pioneers such as Ana Mª Estalella, Mª Carmen Hernández Coronado or Carmen Perea, to the current Garbiñe Muguruza or Paula Badosa, and of course the greats Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, Conchita Martínez , Vivi Ruano, Carla Suárez or our captain today Anabel Medina”, explained the president of the RFET, Miguel Díaz.
This tribute is intended to be a recognition of the role of women in the development and success of tennis in Spain. “Today we can think that it is easy for a woman to try to be a professional. Fortunately, sport has advanced and women have joined it with success and strength. But not many years ago, women had to break barriers and also fight to be tennis players. For them, for the former, today many girls can fight for their dream,” added Díaz.
A broad representation of the 43 players who have represented Spain in the Women’s Team World Cup will be present at the tribute, in an act that will take place on the center court of the Puente Romano Tennis Club. It will also be possible to visit a photographic exhibition and commemorative videos will be viewed on the track during the two days of competition.
A 50 YEAR ADVENTURE
More than six decades after the Davis Cup began to be played (1900), a version for women’s national teams was launched under the name of Federation Cup, released in 1963 coinciding with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the International Federation of Tennis (ITF).
Spain took nine years to debut in the competition. She did so after receiving an invitation from the Federation of Southern Africa, host of the 1972 edition that was to be held on the grass courts of Ellis Park in Johannesburg. The Spanish Tennis Federation selected a team made up of the late Ana María Estalella, Carmen Hernández Coronado and Nati Santacana.
The irruption of Arantxa Sánchez Vicario and Conchita Martínez led Spain to be the great dominator of the competition in the nineties, reaching the final 10 times between 1989 and 2002. The five titles won (1991-93-94-95 -98) have only been surpassed in the list of winners by the United States (18), the Czech Republic (11) and Australia (7).