The throne was vacated because of the sanctions against Russialast year’s champion at the final stage in Prague, and some of the best players on the circuit absent due to the elimination of their teams, the Billie Jean King Cup Finalsformer Federation Cup, based in Glasgow and The United States as a great opponent for a victory that has not been achieved in five years.
Seven of the circuit’s twenty first rackets will be in the Scottish capital from November 8 to 13. The veto of the Russians and Belarusians eased the poster of some of the track’s great claims. Also the resignation of world number one, the Polish Iga Swiatek who preferred to close the course at the WTA Finals and not Billie Jean King despite the fact that her country, Poland, was one of the candidates.
Others, apparently Ons Jabeur, Maria Sakkari, Caroline Garcia or Simona Halep, installed in the ‘top ten’, are left because their teams did not make enough merits to win a place in the fight for the trophy.
For the second time, the tournament will be defined by the new format it got in 2020 but that was not staged until a year later, last year, because of the pandemic. Twelve teams, eight who won their place in the qualifiers, along with last year’s finalists, the host and a guest, play the final stage for six days for the title.
In this edition, Switzerland, Canada, Italy, Australia, Slovakia, Belgium, Spain, Kazakhstan, Great Britain, Czech Republic, United States and Poland They are divided into four groups of three teams. The winners of each will go to the semi-finals and the winners of these will go to the final.
United States, with four of its members among the twenty best (Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff, Madyson Keys and Danielle Collins) is the great favorite. Pegula and Gauff, in addition, are among the best doubles players in tennis today.
Belinda Bencic, twelfth in the world and Paula Badosa, thirteenth, are other claims in the Glasgow event where Swiatek and Petra Kvitova dropped out despite the fact that their teams were part of the final stage.
Spain is part of Group C completed by Kazakhstan and Great Britain, the host team. The Kazakh team, with reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina and Yulia Putintseva, is an uncomfortable opponent for anyone. Putintseva, the team’s number one, thrived in this competition.
The team led by Anabel Medina clinging to the talent of Paula Badosa although she has yet to enjoy a solvent second half of the season. However, it aspires to be a ‘covered’ event with the push of Nuria Párrizas, Cristina Bucsa, Aliona Bolsova and Rebeka Masarova and alleviate the deaths of Garbiñe Muguruza and Sara Sorribes.
The local team lost Emma Raducanu in the last minute and will rely on the encouragement of the fans and a squad made up of Hariet Dart, Katie Boulter, Heather Watson and Jodie Burrage.
Switzerland, Canada and Italy make up Group A. The Swiss team, led by Bencic, is aiming for the semifinals despite the compensated transalpine team formed by Martina Trevisan, Camila Giorgi, Lucia Bronzetti or Jasmine Paolini. Switzerland, last year’s runner-up, sheltered the Olympic champion.
Canada hid in 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu who has not been part of the North American team for over three years, whose main asset is Leylah Fernandez.
Australia, Belgium and Slovakia form Group B, one of the most open. All three agreed to go to Glasgow without having to go through the previous round due to different circumstances. Australia was one of the beneficiaries of Russia’s exclusion and had direct access for being the best semifinalist of the last edition. This meant that their ranked opponent, the Slovakian team, advanced. Something similar happened in Belgium, whose rival Belarus, was disqualified for invading Ukraine.
Australiafeaturing Alja Tomljanovic, Pricilla Hon, Storm Sanders, Ellen Perez, and veteran Samantha Stosur.
Slovakia quoted Anna-Karolina Schmiedlova, Viktoria Kuzmova, Rebecca Sramkova, Tereza Mihailikova, and Renata Jamrichova.
Belgium It consists of Elise Mertens, Alison Van Uytvanck, Maryna Zanevska, Ysaline Bonaventure and Kirsten Flipkens.
Listed as Group of death, D is full of incentives despite the absence of the world number one in his team, Poland. The defeat significantly weakened the Polish team that arrived at the appointment with Magda Linette, Magdalena Frech, Katarzyna Kawa, Martyna Kubka and Alicja Roloska.
The key is the confrontation between the United States and the Czech Republic. The two most successful teams in the tournament meet in the group stage and only one can advance. The American team has the most variety in its team. With eighteen titles in its showcases, it aims to regain dominance in the competition and add, after five years, a new trophy.
The United States has four players in the top twenty and the best doubles of the tournament. Jessica Pegula, third racket in the world, Coco Gauff, fifth, Madyson Keys, eleventh and Danielle Collins, fourteenth, are, along with Taylor Townsend, the great favorites.
The Czechs are the great opposition. Eleven victories, the last in 2018 when they defeated the Americans in the final, adorn their journey through the tournament’s history. Their players are always fighting and great competitors. Go to Glasgow this time with Barbora Krejcikova, Karolina Pliskova, Katerina Siniakova and Marketa Vondrousova.
Source: La Verdad
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
