The captain of the Great Britain BJK Cup team reacts to the absence of top players: "The schedule makes things so difficult for everyone"

This weekend, the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers are taking place. Eighteen nations divided into six groups of three teams will compete for a spot in the Final 8, which will be held in Shenzhen, China, this September.

However, the top players are missing. In fact, only three players currently ranked in the WTA top 20 are present with their respective countries: Elena Rybakina with Kazakhstan, Beatriz Haddad Maia with Brazil, and Elina Svitolina with Ukraine.

After the recent outburst from Romania’s captain, it’s now the turn of Great Britain’s captain, Anne Keothavong, to send a message to the players. She will have to compete without Emma Raducanu as they face Germany and the Netherlands in the coming hours. Keothavong showed more understanding toward the tour players.

"It’s difficult for every nation to field their best players in every match. The schedule makes things so tough for everyone that I understand their situation.

The tennis tour is brutal. You move from one place to another every week, and there’s not much time to rest and recover. You have to pick your moments, but this isn’t a player problem—it’s more about the tennis organizations.

Maybe one day, everyone will find a solution and work together. Of course, it’s disappointing that Emma (Raducanu) isn’t part of the team, but I completely understand what she wants to do.

A player does what a player has to do—meaning she decides what’s best for herself. She’s given a lot to this team, and while she might not be with us this time, I hope she will be in the future," she explained to the BBC.