Anne Keothavong said that hosting Fed Cup matches will be "huge" for Great Britain.GETTY IMAGES
Great Britain's first home Fed Cup tie since '93 will take place at the University of Bath in February after a "successful application" by the Lawn Tennis Association to share hosting duties with Poland for the Europe/Africa Zone Group I clash, according to Stuart Fraser of the LONDON TIMES. The LTA was "keen to play host to a competition that has rarely featured" in Britain. In its 55-year history, there have only been four weeks (in '63, '88, '91 and '93) when it has been held on British soil. The Int'l Tennis Federation accepted a proposal from Britain to host two of the four pools -- a total of eight nations --- on indoor hard courts in Bath from Feb. 6-9. British Fed Cup captain Anne Keothavong said, "It's huge. This is something we have wanted for a long time. [It will] showcase women's tennis here in Britain and give them a taste of what the Fed Cup is like." This particular section of the Fed Cup is expected to have a strong field next year, with players "keen to fulfill Olympic eligibility requirements ahead of Tokyo 2020" (LONDON TIMES, 10/3).
