**The French team begins their Billie Jean King Cup campaign this Tuesday, April 7, in Oeiras, Portugal. This entry marks the debut of Nice native Alizé Cornet as captain. Schedule, format, opponents: essential information before the tournament begins.**
The kickoff is this Tuesday, April 7, for the French team. **The match against Norway** opens the group stage of the Billie Jean King Cup (first match at 12 PM), held this week in Oeiras on **clay courts**.
This edition marks a significant step for French tennis. **Nice native Alizé Cornet** is taking her place on the bench for the first time as **captain**. This change of role occurs in a context of team renewal following Julien Benneteau’s departure last year. The French team aims for **qualification for the promotion playoffs** to the world group. To achieve this, one condition applies: finish at the top of the group.
Alizé Cornet approaches this campaign from a new position. The former player (once ranked 11th in the world), who spent a long time on the international circuit, is discovering the management of a team in official competition.
The captain must deal with **a relatively inexperienced team** in this event. The selection of players, match management, and mental support will play a central role in this short format.
The message delivered by the Nice native before the competition begins emphasizes the team: *”We must be united in victory and defeat. You must put your ego aside. We don’t care who plays, the essential thing is to bring in the points. You must always be behind your teammates.* *On the bench or on the court, you have to play the game fully. This mindset will help us accomplish great things. We need to take advantage of this week in Oeiras to escape the trap of Group 2.”*
**The Program for Les Bleues**
The group stage takes place over three consecutive days. Each team faces the other three nations in the group.
The French team’s schedule:
– Tuesday, April 7 (starting at 12 PM, French time): France vs. Norway
– Wednesday, April 8: France vs. Romania or Latvia
– Thursday, April 9: France vs. Romania or Latvia
The second day matches victorious teams against each other and defeated teams against each other. The third day completes the remaining matches.
Today, **Léolia Jeanjean** (30 years old, 129th in the world) will start against Astrid Wanja Brune Olsen (26 years old, 818th in the world). The second match will feature **Elsa Jacquemot** (22 years old, 59th in the world) against Malene Helgo (26 years old, 789th in the world). Kristina Mladenovic is expected to take over in doubles to conclude the day. Her partner and opponents are currently unknown.
These matches are largely within reach for Les Bleues, but they remain crucial in the race for first place.
**Diane Parry Withdraws, A Readjusted Group**
This campaign’s preparation has been marked by a notable absence. **Diane Parry** has withdrawn due to a thigh injury.
This injury adds to that of Varvara Gracheva, who suffered a tear in her left knee’s anterior cruciate ligament. These two absences have forced the staff to revise the team’s composition.
**Sarah Rakotomanga and Alice Ramé** have been called up to complete the group. These two players are discovering the Billie Jean King Cup in a unique context.
The French selection now consists of Elsa Jacquemot, Léolia Jeanjean, Kristina Mladenovic, Sarah Rakotomanga, and Alice Ramé—a group marked by **a mix of experience** and first-time selections.
**Explaining the Competition Format**
Each confrontation between two nations includes **three matches**: two singles matches followed by a doubles match. Singles are played in the best of three sets with a tiebreak in each set. Doubles are also played in a best-of-three format, with a super tiebreak in the third set if needed. The “no-ad” rule applies in doubles.
France is in **Group C** with Norway, Romania, and Latvia. At the end of the three days, **only the team ranked first advances in the competition**.
This team will play a qualifying match against a nation from Group B (probably Hungary or the Netherlands). The objective is a place in the playoffs to have a chance to **return to the world group**.
The competition matches are broadcast on beIN Sports 3. The first match against Norway is scheduled to start at 12 PM.
The week in Oeiras opens a new chapter for the French team. Between Alizé Cornet taking charge and a renewed roster, this campaign begins with several benchmarks to set and a specific goal to achieve.
