FED CUP FACTS AND FIGURES Semifinals and play-offs, 16-17 April 2016

OVERVIEW Fed Cup by BNP Paribas is the World Cup of and the largest annual international team competition in women’s sport. A total of 102 nations have entered the competition in 2016, with over 300 players set to take part.

FED CUP IS OVER 50 YEARS OLD Fed Cup celebrated its 50th birthday in the ITF’s centenary year in 2013, having been launched in 1963 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the ITF.

TIES This weekend sees the two World Group semifinals, four World Group play-offs and four World Group II play-offs. Also taking place this week are Asia/Oceania Zone Group II in Hua Hin, Thailand (11-15 April); Europe/Africa Zone Group II in Cairo, Egypt (13-16 April); and Europe/Africa Zone Group III in Ulcinj, Montenegro (11-16 April).

Details of the World Group semifinals are as follows:

Switzerland v , Lucerne (hard – indoors) France v Netherlands, Trelaze (clay – indoors)

Details of the World Group play-offs are as follows:

Russia v Belarus, (clay – indoors) v , Lleida (clay – outdoors) Romania v , Cluj-Napoca (clay – indoors) Australia v USA, Brisbane (clay – outdoors)

Details of the World Group II play-offs are as follows: v , (clay – indoors) v Canada, (clay – indoors) v Chinese Taipei, Inowroclaw (hard – indoors) v , Bucha, Kiev (hard – outdoors)

The two winners of the World Group semifinals will contest the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Final on 12- 13 November. Switzerland would be at home to France or Netherlands, while Czech Republic would be away to France or Netherlands. The venue for the final is due to be confirmed in June.

The four winners of the World Group play-offs will qualify for the 2017 World Group, while the four losers will contest the 2017 World Group II.

The four winners of the World Group II play-offs will qualify for the 2017 World Group II, while the four losers will contest their respective Zone Group I events in 2017.

2017 FED CUP DRAW The Draw for the 2017 Fed Cup by BNP Paribas will be held during the ITF AGM in Zagreb, Croatia on Monday 20 June at 19:00 local time (17:00 GMT). The two finalists from 2016 will be the top two seeds in the 2017 World Group, and the remaining seeds will be based on the Fed Cup Nations Ranking of 18 April.

SPONSORS The title sponsor is BNP Paribas, the Official Bank of Fed Cup, now in its 12th year of title sponsorship. International sponsors are Adecco (Official HR Sponsor) and Betway (Official Betting Sponsor). beIN SPORTS is the Official Global Media Rights Partner.

CALENDAR DATES Fed Cup has fixed dates in the women’s tennis calendar through 2017, thanks to an understanding between the ITF and WTA. The ITF is currently discussing future calendar dates with the WTA.

DEAD RUBBER POLICY A dead rubber policy has been in place at all Fed Cup ties since 2013. If a tie is decided after the third singles rubber, the fourth singles will not be played (unless both nations want to), and the dead doubles rubber will be played instead. If the fourth singles decides the tie, the dead doubles rubber will still be played. All dead doubles rubbers will be two regular sets plus a match tiebreak. This was in response to requests from players, captains and National Associations, while maintaining the spectator experience on the Sunday.

HAWK-EYE OFFICIATING SYSTEM Electronic line-calling review is currently used in all rounds of the World Group, plus World Group II and the World Group Play-offs. The system is only used on hard and grass courts.

FED CUP HEART AWARD The Fed Cup Heart Award, launched in 2009, is an ITF initiative that honours the distinction, courage and commitment to the team that it takes to succeed in Fed Cup. The award is voted for by members of the public via the Fed Cup website.

In 2016, six Fed Cup Heart Awards will be presented after the following rounds: World Group and World Group II first round, World Group semifinals, World Group and World Group II play-offs and the three Zone Group I events. Each winner will receive a cheque to be donated to their chosen charity.

FED CUP WEBSITE There are two versions of the official Fed Cup website, in English (www.fedcup.com) and Spanish (www.fedcup.com/es), plus the Fed Cup TV site www.fedcup.tv. The websites will feature live scoring, plus the Fed Cup Live Blog, photographs, audio interviews and live streaming. The websites recorded over 8.5 million page views in 2015. Fans are also able to keep up-to-date with all the latest Fed Cup news on Twitter and Facebook in both English and Spanish, and on Chinese social media, with over 180,000 followers to these accounts.

SHOW YOUR COLOURS Show Your Colours, the ITF’s fan-focused campaign to promote and Fed Cup as the world cups of tennis, is already used by over 60 nations globally. Building on the unique team nature of both competitions, Show Your Colours uses branding elements for promotion, in-stadium activities and all of the ITF’s website and social media activity.

TELEVISION Fed Cup will be broadcast on TV in all four nations contesting the World Group semifinals, and in 14 of the 16 nations contesting the World Group/World Group II play-offs. The two semifinals will be broadcast by 24 broadcasters.

In 2015, there were over 2500 hours of dedicated Fed Cup TV coverage by 41 broadcasters in 139 territories worldwide. It remains the priority of the ITF to secure coverage on free-to-air channels.

ATTENDANCE Over 145,000 spectators attended Fed Cup ties in 2015. Recent years have seen larger stadiums and increased attendance.

ITF FED CUP NATIONS RANKING The new ITF Fed Cup Nations Ranking will be published on Monday 18 April and will include results from the weekend’s ties. The Ranking is published on the Monday following every Fed Cup World Group round, and is based on a nation’s performances in the competition over a four-year period. All nations competing in Fed Cup from World Group through to Zone Group III are ranked. Czech Republic is the current No. 1 nation.