FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Billie Jean King understands why world number one Iga Swiatek skipped the Billie Jean King Cup Finals because it’s right after, and on the other side of the world, the WTA Finals.
King believes she would have made another decision.
“I can fully perceive his reasoning. Personally, I wouldn’t agree with that. But you know what? It’s about her. It is she who has to face the truth now; I don’t,” King, who owns 18 Grand Slam singles. titles and two-time member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, he said Tuesday in a video conference. “We will miss her. “
Swiatek, a 21-year-old Polish with 3 major trophies, announced last month that she would compete in the WTA finals recently occupying a position in Fort Worth, Texas, and skip the International Tennis Federation’s 12-nation team festival named after King in Glasgow. . in Scotland, from 8 to 13 November.
After complaining that “the scenario is not without danger to our fitness and can cause injury,” she said she was disappointed that the sport’s governing bodies “have not reached agreement on something as basic as the tournament schedule. “
WTA CEO Steve Simon said Tuesday that Swiatek is “not bad. “
“It’s a timeline and a change,” Simon said. This is something we are already talking about to see how we can solve this challenge in the future. “
Swiatek leads women’s tennis with 8 titles and a 64-8 record in 2022. She played her first robin fit on Tuesday in the WTA final.
“I wish I had waited a little longer (for the BJK Cup final), because you never know how you’re going to do it. I mean, you just don’t know. And that’s where you have to figure it out for yourself. “what’s vital to you,” King said. To me, it would be a no-brainer. “
The WTA Finals were scheduled to be held in Shenzhen, China, but were moved from the suspension of all tournaments in that country due to considerations about protecting Peng Shuai, the Grand Slam doubles champion who accused a former Chinese government official of sexual abuse. COVID-19 attack and restrictions there.
The Fort Worth variety as a replacement site for this year was only announced in September. Simon said she would have liked the WTA Finals to end at an earlier date, but the Texas arena had scheduled a concert last week that barred access to the venue until Friday for an installation that included the installation of a transitional courthouse.
Two from the U. S. list The U. S. for the BJK Cup is in the WTA finals, Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff.
“We actually knew it was a difficult change. But I think for me it’s more than a smart challenge. Of course, it’s not ideal,” Petula said. Everyone makes their own non-public resolution about (what is) physically healthy, mentally what they want to do, but it’s only for this year. “
The other 10 countries in the BJK Cup final are Australia, Belgium, Great Britain, Canada, Czech Republic, Italy, Kazakhstan, Spain, Slovakia and Switzerland.
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