Issue link: http://itf.uberflip.com/i/1067114
LOOKING ahead JANUARY Australian Open 14-27 January The first Grand Slam of the year provides the opportunity for elite players across singles, doubles and mixed doubles, as well as junior and wheelchair competitors, to secure major silverware early in the season. Switzerland's Roger Federer is the two-time defending Australian Open men's singles champion after defeating Croatia's Marin Cilic in the final 12 months ago and taking his Grand Slam title haul to 20. Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark is the reigning women's singles champion after overcoming Romania's Simona Halep in the 2018 finale to capture her maiden Grand Slam crown. This year's tournament will be the 107th edition of the Australian Open and the 51st in the Open Era. FEBRUARY Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Qualifiers 1-2 February The Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Qualifiers will spell the beginning of a new era for the world's premier international team competition. Twenty four nations will go head-to-head across 12 ties on 1-2 February, with the winning nations securing a place in the inaugural Davis Cup Finals in Madrid on 18-24 November 2019 – a week- long festival of tennis – alongside the already qualified France, Croatia, USA and Spain, and wild cards Argentina and Great Britain. C A L E N D A R Follow the action at www.itftennis.com InternationalTennisFederation @ITF_Tennis 42 ITFWorld // WINTER 2018 Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Group I EUROPE / AFRICA 6-9 February Event A, Zielona Gora, Poland Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Estonia, Bulgaria, Denmark, Sweden Event B, Bath, England Great Britain, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary, Turkey, Greece, Georgia, Slovenia Group I ASIA / OCEANIA 6-9 February Astana, Kazakhstan Participating nations: China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Pacific Oceania, South Korea, Thailand Group I AMERICAS 6-9 February Medellin, Colombia Participating nations: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Puerto Rico Czech Republic v Romania Venue: Ostrava Surface: Hard Belgium v France Venue: Liege Surface: Hard Germany v Belarus Venue: Braunschweig Surface: Hard United States v Australia Venue: Asheville Surface: Hard Brazil v Belgium Venue: Uberlandia Surface: Clay Austria v Chile Venue: Salzburg Surface: Clay Australia v Bosnia/ Herzegovina Venue: Adelaide Surface: Hard Uzbekistan v Serbia Venue: Tashkent Surface: Hard Germany v Hungary Venue: Frankfurt Surface: Hard Switzerland v Russia Venue: Biel Surface: Hard Kazakhstan v Portugal Venue: Astana Surface: Hard Slovakia v Canada Venue: Bratislava Surface: Clay India v Italy Venue: Kolkata Surface: Grass Czech Republic v Netherlands Venue: Ostrava Surface: Hard Colombia v Sweden Venue: Bogota Surface: Clay China v Japan Venue: Guangzhou Surface: Hard FEBRUARY FEBRUARY Group II EUROPE / AFRICA 6-9 February Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg Participating nations: Austria, Bosnia/Herzegovina, Israel, Luxembourg, Moldova, Portugal, South Africa, Tunisia World Group first round 9-10 February World Group II first round 9-10 February APRIL Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Americas Group II DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AND PERU 17-20 APRIL World Group semifinals, World Group/World Group II Play-offs 20-21 April Switzerland v Italy Venue: Biel Surface: Hard Latvia v Slovakia Venue: Riga Surface: Hard Japan v Spain Venue: Kitakyushu Surface: Hard Netherlands v Canada Venue: 's-Hertogenbosch Surface: Clay