Zheng, Osaka, and Keys Withdraw from BJK Cup Final 8
In mid-September, the final eight teams will travel to Shenzhen, China, to compete in the Billie Jean King Cup Final 8 and attempt to dethrone last year's champions, Italy.
However, some major changes have been made by certain teams ahead of the quarterfinals, which begin on September 16. The host nation will not be able to rely on Zheng Qinwen.
The Chinese player, ranked 9th in the world, has not played since Wimbledon and subsequently underwent surgery on her right elbow. While a return for the BJK Cup was in the works, her comeback to competition will ultimately not take place during this team event.
As a result, the 2024 Australian Open finalist has been replaced by Wang Xiyu, with China set to face Italy for a spot in the semifinals. Another player who will not represent her country in Shenzhen is Naomi Osaka.
The Japanese player, in excellent form in recent weeks and back in the top 15 after reaching the final in Montreal and the semifinals at the US Open, has been replaced by the experienced Nao Hibino, 30 years old and ranked 202nd in the world.
Japan's quarterfinal opponent, Great Britain, has also seen Francesca Jones digitally replace Emma Raducanu, who withdrew in recent days.
Additionally, Madison Keys will also be unable to participate. The Australian Open winner from earlier this season has been replaced by McCartney Kessler. The United States will face Kazakhstan with Jessica Pegula, Emma Navarro, Taylor Townsend, McCartney Kessler, and Hailey Baptiste.
Finally, for Spain, the injured Nuria Parrizas Diaz has had to make way for Leyre Romero Gormaz. Italy, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine, on the other hand, have not changed their team compositions one week before the start of the quarterfinals.
