STARNBERG, February 17, 2026

The German Tennis Federation (DTB) has reorganized the sporting leadership of its women’s program, appointing Torben Beltz as captain of Germany’s Billie Jean King Cup team in addition to his current role as Head Women’s National Coach. The 49-year-old succeeds Rainer Schuettler, who stepped down in November 2025 after six years in charge.

With this decision, the DTB continues to implement its new high-performance strategy, “Together! World Class! Develop!” The aim is to ensure that every national team week not only serves competitive goals but also contributes sustainably to the individual development of each player.

“I have been working very closely with our players for the past year,” Beltz said. “Taking on the captain’s role is therefore not something entirely new, but rather the natural continuation of our joint efforts. Our ambition is for every player to leave a Billie Jean King Cup week having grown both athletically and personally, while we also continue to evolve as a team.”

Beltz is best known for his long-standing coaching partnership with former world No. 1 Angelique Kerber, whom he guided to two Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open and the US Open in 2016, as well as to the top of the WTA rankings. Since December 2024, the Itzehoe native has overseen the sporting development of German women’s tennis, working closely with both established tour players and emerging talents.

A key focus of his expanded role will be managing the generational transition and systematically integrating young prospects into the national team environment. The Billie Jean King Cup squad is set to function increasingly as a development platform — for experienced players and rising talents alike, particularly those from the Porsche Talent Team.

The coaching staff will be strengthened by Jasmin Wöhr, who joins as assistant captain while continuing her duties as a national coach within the DTB.

“Through ‘Together! World Class! Develop!’ we have defined clear objectives for the long-term advancement of German tennis,” said DTB Vice President Helmut Schmidbauer. “Consolidating sporting responsibility in the women’s sector under Torben Beltz is the next logical step toward achieving that goal. The national team is not an isolated project, but part of a continuous development process.”

DTB board member Veronika Rücker emphasized that progress requires patience. “We are seeing clear improvements in players such as Ella Seidel and Eva Lys, and with the Porsche Talent Team we have several more promising athletes in the pipeline. Our ambition is to continue on this path with clarity and consistency.”

The new coaching team led by Beltz and Wöhr will make its debut in Regional Group I competition during the week of 6 April 2026 in Portugal.