After 10 years as Australia’s Billie Jean King Cup captain, Alicia Molik will lead the team for one last time at the 2023 Finals in Seville.
Australia, 29 September 2023 | Vivienne Christie
Every Billie Jean King Cup tie is a special occasion for Australian team captain Alicia Molik.
But Australia’s next assignment in the 2023 Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at Seville in November, will carry more significance for Molik than ever before.
After a decade as the nation’s Billie Jean King Cup captain, it will mark Molik’s final tie in the role.
“It’s a decision that’s come with a lot of thought and a lot of planning and I just feel like it is the right time,” said Molik, whose long career in Billie Jean King Cup (then Fed Cup) began as a player in 1999.
“I feel like I’ve seen a bit of everything as captain. I was there for Ash Barty’s first Fed Cup match in Switzerland as a 15-year-old and to be able to see her through her retirement shows that I’ve been in this game for a long time.
“But it’s also been a fruitful 10 years with a lot of success. I think we’ve had a brilliant team (and) it’s nice to go out on a really positive note.
“I’ve given my absolute all to this team and am leaving it in the best place I possibly could have for the future.”
In a successful period for Australian women’s tennis, Molik can indeed reflect on a series of highs.
She notes that teams she has captained for Australia feature five Grand Slam champions across singles, doubles and mixed doubles, including Barty, Sam Stosur, Casey Dellacqua, Storm Hunter and Jarmila Wolfe (nee Gajdosova).
In her decade-long captaincy, Molik has guided the nation to two Billie Jean King Cup finals. The West Australian is particularly proud of the 2019 final, contested at Perth Arena, where a passionate home crowd cheered on the Australian team against France.
“A huge highlight through my tenure was the final we played here at Perth in 2019, because it was one of the last home and away ties where we were really able to showcase women’s tennis and top women’s tennis here in Australia,” she said.
In Glasgow last year, Australia was runner-up to Switzerland. Drawing on a strong synergy within their contingent, team members including Ajla Tomljanovic, Stosur, Hunter and Ellen Perez contributed to earlier wins over Slovakia, Great Britain and Belgium.
Alicia Molik and Storm Hunter at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in 2022;…
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