New Delhi: World No.2 Iga Swiatek has confirmed her return to competitive tennis, announcing that she will represent Poland in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Malaga this November. The 23-year-old five-time Grand Slam winner, who has not played since her U.S. Open quarterfinal loss to Jessica Pegula in September, took to social media to share the news of her participation in the prestigious team event.
“See you in Malaga! I’m happy to announce that I will play in the BJKC Finals,” Swiatek posted in an Instagram story. “I’m glad that I’ll play for my country and proudly represent Poland. Together with team Poland, we will give our best on the court.”
Swiatek’s decision to play comes after a brief hiatus from the tour, during which she skipped the WTA’s Asian swing citing fatigue. As a result, she relinquished her world No.1 ranking to Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus. Despite the setback, Swiatek is eager to make her mark once again, starting with the Billie Jean King Cup, where Poland will face host nation Spain in the opening match.
The Billie Jean King Cup is the most prominent team competition in women’s tennis on the lines of the Davis Cup for men. Launched in 1963 as Federation Cup and renamed as Fed Cup in 1995, the tournament was rechristened as Billie Jean King Cup in 2020 in the honour of the former World No.1 women’s player.
The Polish sensation has also been adjusting to changes off the court. Earlier this month, she parted ways with her long-time coach Tomasz Wiktorowski and has since added Belgian coach Wim Fissette to her team. Fissette, who has worked with top players like Naomi Osaka and Victoria Azarenka, will guide Swiatek as she looks to reclaim her top spot in the rankings.
After the Billie Jean King Cup, Swiatek will head to Riyadh in November for the WTA Finals, a crucial tournament that could allow her to reclaim the world No.1 ranking.
–IANS
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