The draw for the 2026 Billie Jean King Cup Europe Group III took place in San Marino, starting on June 17 at the Centro Tennis Cassa di Risparmio.
Thirteen national teams are participating in the current tournament, divided into four groups. The top two teams will advance to Europe Group II next season.
As a result of the draw, the Moldovan national team has been placed in Group B, where they will face Kosovo and Iceland.
Group composition:
Group A: Estonia, Andorra, Luxembourg
Group B: Moldova, Kosovo, Iceland
Group C: Ireland, Malta, San Marino
Group D: Armenia, Montenegro, Albania, Azerbaijan
During the group stage, each team will play every opponent in its group. The group winners will continue to compete for the final places from 1st to 4th and for two spots in Europe Group II.
The Moldovan team will be represented at the tournament by:
• Abigail Rencheli
• Lia Belibova
• Arina Gamretkaia
• Daniela Ciobanu (playing coach)
The draw looks quite favorable for the Moldovan team. Kosovo is considered the main rival for first place in the group, while Iceland is traditionally not among the leaders of Europe Group III. Given the team’s composition and results in recent seasons, the Moldovan team faces a very realistic goal of winning the group and continuing the fight for one of the two spots in Europe Group II.
On the eve of the tournament, playing coach Daniela Ciobanu noted the team’s positive attitude and the athletes’ good preparation for the upcoming matches.
“All the girls have already arrived in San Marino, completed training, and are in good spirits. The team is approaching the tournament injury-free, everyone is ready for the start, and determined to play their best tennis. We’ve got a good group. Tomorrow we play Iceland, and this match will be an important step in preparing for the match against Kosovo. We know that Kosovo recently played in Group 2, so we’re taking this opponent very seriously. But at the same time, we believe in ourselves and think we can fight for first place in the group,” said Ciobanu.
The players themselves are also confident in their abilities and expect to start the tournament well in the opening match against Iceland.
“We arrived in San Marino well, had time to practice, and we feel ready for the start of the competition. The match against Iceland should help us get into the rhythm of the game and start the tournament with confidence. We’re trying to focus on each individual match, but we know our prospects look quite good. Kosovo will be our main opponent in the group, and if we advance from the group, we could face Ireland in the decisive matches. We already faced this team last year and know our capabilities. “We will do our best in every match and count on the support of the fans,” noted the Moldovan team players.
The Billie Jean King Cup is the largest international team tournament in women’s tennis. The Moldovan team regularly participates in this competition and has achieved many important victories on the international stage over the years. In recent seasons, the team has continued to renew itself by recruiting young players, combining the experience and promise of the next generation of Moldovan tennis.
The first matches of the tournament will take place tomorrow, and the competition will continue until June 20. You can follow the results and live broadcasts of the matches on the official Billie Jean King Cup website (https://www.billiejeankingcup.com/en/live-centre?group=group-iii).
The Moldovan Tennis Federation will promptly publish the results of the national team’s performance.
The Moldovan national team will be represented at the tournament by: Daniela Ciobanu (playing coach), Arina Gamretkaia, Abigail Rencheli and Lia Belibova
