Australia down to reveal bones for Billie Jean King Cup finals after WTA scheduling catastrophe
Australia captain Alicia Molik is backing Daria Saville and Ajla Tomljanovic to get the job executed after being left with solely three gamers for Australia’s opening Billie Jean King Cup finals tie in Spain.
Key factors:
- Australia has simply three out there gamers for his or her first Billie Jean King Cup tie
- Alicia Molik mentioned doubles primary Storm Hunter should make her personal resolution about enjoying in opposition to Slovenia
- Hunter will arrive in Spain from Mexico simply 45 minutes earlier than the tie begins
A scheduling fiasco and the climate gods have pressured Ellen Perez out of Tuesday evening’s conflict with Slovenia, whereas newly-crowned world primary doubles ace Storm Hunter is just because of land in Seville 45 minutes earlier than the tie begins.
Perez resorted to asking for a trip on social media after dropping the rain-delayed WTA Finals doubles decider in Cancún along with her American associate Nicole Melichar-Martinez on Tuesday morning (AEDT).
“Anybody bought a personal jet and need to fly me from Cancun to Seville tomorrow evening to make it in time for BJKC Tuesday 10am match,” she wrote on X.
“Actually not impressed with this scheduling catastrophe. Why do I’ve to be punished for this.”
Hunter made it out of Mexico 12 hours earlier after falling within the semifinals however stays in excessive doubt, with Molik telling AAP the 29-year-old could make her personal name about enjoying or not.
“I am hoping she arrives feeling great however she would possibly heat up after which I do not know. It is as much as her if she needs to play or not,” Molik mentioned.
“She’s skilled sufficient. I am simply conservative. If she would not really feel fairly proper, she’s bought the correct to say ‘save me for Thursday’.
“I imply, it is 18-hour door-to-door journey so anybody will be forgiven for not eager to play as they land.”
Both method, the skipper has full religion that between Saville, Tomljanovic and Kim Birrell, Australia have the category to prevail within the best-of-three-match fixture.
In reality, Molik has a lot perception within the second-ranked Australian workforce that made final 12 months’s last that she has categorically dominated out naming squad reserve Olivia Gadecki as a alternative.
Whereas she will not formally announce her line-up till an hour earlier than the tie begins at 8pm (AEDT), Molik is leaning in direction of going with Saville and Tomljanovic as her singles picks.
“They’re our two most skilled gamers,” she mentioned.
And if Hunter presents in form to play, the captain will let the left-hander select her personal associate.
“She’s primary on the earth — she will decide whoever she needs to play with,” Molik mentioned.
“I will be on the court docket with the 2 singles gamers so in order that’s one thing that she’ll must quietly determine herself.
“No matter occurs, I feel we must always beat Slovenia and in some unspecified time in the future it’s a must to belief your gamers to make the correct calls.
“However, as we communicate, we solely have three gamers right here.
“We have solely had three gamers since arriving final Wednesday.
Molik’s dilemma is essentially because of the WTA scheduling the so-called “girls’s World Cup of tennis” in Spain simply two days after the completion of the showpiece season-ending championships staged on one other continent.
In a perverse method, although, Molik says solely having three gamers as an alternative of 5 “makes your job simpler”.
“You do not have to drop anybody,” she mentioned.
Australia play their second tie on Thursday in opposition to Kazakhstan, with solely the 4 group winners progressing to the semifinals.
Champions seven instances however not since 1974, Australia have made the semifinals for the previous three years and misplaced the 2022 title match to Switzerland.
AAP
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