Sam Stosur reflects on her Billie Jean King Cup debut against Colombia in 2003, on the eve of battling the same country as captain on Saturday.
Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 10 April 2025 | Jackson Mansell
As Australia prepares to play Colombia in the 2025 Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers in Brisbane, we look back to the last time the two nations met in the international women’s team competition.
Through her admission, Sam Stosur doesn’t remember many of her 34 ties for the Australian Culture Amp Billie Jean King Cup team.
However, she remembers when she donned the green and gold for the first time in 2003.
A selection that even surprised Stosur, the then 19-year-old made her debut in Wollongong against Colombia, as Australia aimed to reach the World Group for the fourth year running.
“I was probably a little bit surprised to get the gig,” Stosur admitted on The Tennis podcast. “It was incredibly special and I still remember it. I know who I played, and the score. It was a long time ago but I think every time you get to put on the green and gold, you really cherish it.
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“If I remember correctly, the team was Alicia (Molik), Pratty (Nicole Pratt) and Stubbsy (Rennae Stubbs). So all of a sudden, I’m then put into this team of Australia’s best players and people that I looked up to playing and just thought practising with them occasionally was ‘oh my gosh, I’m practising with Alicia here’, that sort of thing and then I was actually on the team and actually got to play one of the matches.”
Stosur was selected to play in the opening rubber against world No.38 Fabiola Zuluaga and threatened to cause an upset. The Queenslander won the first set before going down 4-6 6-1 6-4.
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Captain Evonne Goolagong Cawley was pleased with Stosur’s first outing for Australia.
“Sam is an exciting youngster who deserved her opportunity and took it well,” the former world No.1 said following Stosur’s performance. “Zuluaga is an outstanding player, probably worthy of a higher ranking than she currently holds.
“We felt our best chance to beat her with our second player was with some heavy weaponry and Sam did not let anyone down with some crashing drives and serves, nearly pulling a bonus win off for the team.”
World No.44 Molik was at her scintillating best in Wollongong, willing the home side to a 3-2 tie victory.
The South Australian defeated Catalina Castano 7-6(8) 4-6 6-2 in the second singles rubber, before producing a valiant effort against Zuluaga in the reverse singles, losing 10-8 in the final set against the Colombian No.1.
Following Pratt’s straight-sets triumph over Castano, Molik teamed up with Stubbs to win the decisive doubles rubber 7-6(5) 6-2.
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“Alicia showed why she is deservedly our No.1 player, nearly making the doubles a dead match with her terrific efforts in singles,” Goolagong Cawley said. “With Rennae’s experience alongside her, we felt secure in a doubles win and again they won the deciding match for Australia.”
The Colombian tie on Saturday provides a full-circle moment for the 2003 debutant.
Stosur, who finished her career with the most singles wins in Australian BJK Cup history, will once again prepare to tackle Colombia, this time as captain – and with Pratt by her side as coach.
“I’ve got to turn the tables now on my own personal result,” Stosur said on The Tennis.
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