Billie Jean King Cup 2026: Meet the Australian team set to take on Great Britain
• 4 minute read
The Lexus Great Britain team will be hoping to book their spot in the 2026 Billie Jean King Cup Finals as they prepare to take on Australia in the Qualifiers.
Lexus GB Team Captain Anne Keothavong has named a new-look team ahead of the tie, including Harriet Dart, Katie Swan, Mika Stojsavljevic and Jodie Burrage.
Meanwhile, Sam Stosur’s strong Australian team will be led by top 30 player Maya Joint, who will be hoping to guide her nation to the 2026 Finals.
With the tie just one week away, take a look at which players will line up for Australia and find out more about GB’s opponents:
2026 Australia Billie Jean King Cup team:
- Maya Joint
- Talia Gibson
- Kimberly Birrell
- Storm Hunter
- Ellen Perez
Read our Billie Jean King Cup preview
Maya Joint
- Age: 19
- Singles ranking: 31
- Doubles ranking: 35
- Billie Jean King Cup record: 3-1
Joint arrives as the highest-ranked singles player in Stosur’s squad, despite being the youngest at just 19-years-old.
The world No.31 enjoyed a breakout 2025 campaign, collecting four titles across singles and doubles, including at the Lexus Eastbourne Open.
Those results led her to soar up the rankings, and she’s has continued that momentum this year, rising to a career-high No. 28 following a quarter-final run in Adelaide.
Joint’s strongest performances in 2026 have come on the doubles court where she claimed the Abu Dhabi Open crown and reached the quarter-finals at the Qatar Open. On top of that, she’s already had plenty of experience competing alongside compatriots Birrell and Hunter on the WTA circuit this year – making her an excellent addition to the Australian team.
Talia Gibson
- Age: 21
- Singles ranking: 56
- Doubles ranking: 109
- Billie Jean King Cup record: N/A
Talia Gibson is in the midst of a breakthrough stretch on the WTA Tour and arrives as the in-form player.
The 21-year-old made headlines last month with a statement run to the quarter-finals at Indian Wells, defeating three seeded players in Ekaterina Alexandrova, Clara Tauson and Jasmine Poalini en route.
She quickly backed that up in Miami where she earnt impressive wins over Naomi Osaka and Iva Jovic to reach the last 16. As a result, she’s already propelled 63 places in the WTA rankings this year and is set to climb even higher should her momentum continue.
Kimberly Birrell
- Age: 27
- Singles ranking: 80
- Doubles ranking: 96
- Billie Jean King Cup record: 4-5
Like many of her compatriots, Birrell has enjoyed some standout results so far this year – highlighted by semi-final runs in Adelaide and the ATX Open.
While she’s yet to lift a title on the WTA Tour, Birrell has seven ITF crowns to her name with her last coming in Brisbane at the beginning of 2025.
Like her compatriots, Birrell has clocked some standout result on the doubles court, with her best performance coming on home turf at the Australian Open.
The world No.80 joined forces with Gibson, where the pair reached the quarter-finals of the women’s doubles draw. During that run, they knocked out second seeds and Olympic gold medallists Sara Errani and Jasmine Poalini – showcasing their ability to beat some of the world’s best players.
Storm Hunter
- Age: 31
- Singles ranking: 196
- Doubles ranking: 18
- Billie Jean King Cup record: 13-4
When it comes to experience competing at the Billie Jean King Cup, Hunter will lead the way for the Australian team.
The former world No.1 has been one of the WTA’s most successful doubles players in recent years, with nine Tour-level titles to her name including five WTA 1000 trophies – all of which have come on a hard court.
She’s already added to that tally this season, teaming up with American Taylor Townsend at the ATX Open, and will look to carry that winning form into the crucial tie against Great Britain.
Hunter has an impressive record when it comes to Billie Jean King Cup matches, having won 13 of the 17 matches since making her debut in 2021.
As one of two doubles specialists featured in the squad, we can expect to see Hunter play an important role in the tie and use her experience to challenge her opponents.
Ellen Perez
- Age: 30
- Singles ranking: N/A
- Doubles ranking: 30
- Billie Jean King Cup record: 5-3
Ellen Perez further underlines the depth of Australia’s doubles options, arriving as another reliable and experienced player within the squad.
A former Grand Slam semi-finalist, Perez has also been in strong form over recent months – highlighted by a run to the final of the WTA 500 event in Brisbane and quarter-final finish at Indian Wells.
As far as her Billie Jean King Cup record goes, Perez has clinched five wins when wearing the Australian flag on her chest. Notably, four of those victories have come when she’s partnered Hunter on the doubles court – making them a trusted combination amongst the team.
The 30-year-old is an established top 30 player and like Hunter, will be an important play in Australia’s bid to reach the 2026 Finals.
