The Fort Worth Press - Poland hoping Swiatek can inspire BJK Cup 'revenge' against Spain

USD -
AED 3.673006
AFN 67.000311
ALL 92.449862
AMD 387.650577
ANG 1.803609
AOA 912.000072
ARS 998.1981
AUD 1.540618
AWG 1.8
AZN 1.706465
BAM 1.839835
BBD 2.020546
BDT 119.582702
BGN 1.851502
BHD 0.376887
BIF 2898
BMD 1
BND 1.337466
BOB 6.915139
BRL 5.806962
BSD 1.000762
BTN 84.395861
BWP 13.578807
BYN 3.274884
BYR 19600
BZD 2.01714
CAD 1.39948
CDF 2865.000212
CHF 0.885795
CLF 0.035513
CLP 979.90972
CNY 7.2244
CNH 7.244355
COP 4479
CRC 511.011392
CUC 1
CUP 26.5
CVE 104.849946
CZK 23.9373
DJF 177.719992
DKK 7.06055
DOP 60.375024
DZD 133.998993
EGP 49.3251
ERN 15
ETB 122.049964
EUR 0.94655
FJD 2.27125
FKP 0.786951
GBP 0.78699
GEL 2.730338
GGP 0.786951
GHS 16.093319
GIP 0.786951
GMD 71.000122
GNF 8629.999871
GTQ 7.732613
GYD 209.3638
HKD 7.781365
HNL 25.060257
HRK 7.133507
HTG 131.582908
HUF 386.059763
IDR 15845.9
ILS 3.754225
IMP 0.786951
INR 84.42365
IQD 1310.5
IRR 42092.500584
ISK 139.430268
JEP 0.786951
JMD 158.431955
JOD 0.7091
JPY 155.550045
KES 129.495865
KGS 86.200902
KHR 4049.999849
KMF 466.350132
KPW 899.999851
KRW 1402.789736
KWD 0.30764
KYD 0.833937
KZT 493.231612
LAK 21944.999787
LBP 89550.000237
LKR 292.48469
LRD 183.999896
LSL 18.249631
LTL 2.95274
LVL 0.60489
LYD 4.869392
MAD 9.95797
MDL 18.032417
MGA 4655.000074
MKD 58.249992
MMK 3247.960992
MNT 3397.999858
MOP 8.017648
MRU 39.875002
MUR 46.889881
MVR 15.450612
MWK 1735.999923
MXN 20.534202
MYR 4.459733
MZN 63.899729
NAD 18.250197
NGN 1677.460255
NIO 36.78002
NOK 11.139895
NPR 135.035137
NZD 1.70113
OMR 0.384979
PAB 1.000724
PEN 3.80195
PGK 3.93475
PHP 58.837965
PKR 278.049733
PLN 4.10935
PYG 7810.118723
QAR 3.64055
RON 4.7105
RSD 110.736994
RUB 98.498646
RWF 1365
SAR 3.75755
SBD 8.383555
SCR 13.638838
SDG 601.502988
SEK 10.984375
SGD 1.343089
SHP 0.786951
SLE 22.814981
SLL 20969.507172
SOS 571.500104
SRD 35.279997
STD 20697.981008
SVC 8.756103
SYP 2512.530016
SZL 18.249869
THB 34.941496
TJS 10.662352
TMT 3.51
TND 3.147501
TOP 2.3421
TRY 34.35113
TTD 6.800373
TWD 32.450501
TZS 2659.999506
UAH 41.343769
UGX 3672.521001
UYU 42.190719
UZS 12825.000122
VES 44.996698
VND 25345
VUV 118.721975
WST 2.812855
XAF 617.092513
XAG 0.033008
XAU 0.000389
XCD 2.70255
XDR 0.753908
XOF 616.50203
XPF 113.349685
YER 249.80406
ZAR 18.240398
ZMK 9001.201813
ZMW 27.374927
ZWL 321.999592
  • RBGPF

    -0.8500

    59.34

    -1.43%

  • CMSD

    -0.0200

    24.73

    -0.08%

  • CMSC

    0.0700

    24.61

    +0.28%

  • JRI

    0.0200

    13.24

    +0.15%

  • BCC

    1.4200

    142.55

    +1%

  • SCS

    -0.3000

    13.37

    -2.24%

  • BCE

    -0.4800

    27.21

    -1.76%

  • NGG

    -0.7800

    62.12

    -1.26%

  • RIO

    -0.5800

    60.62

    -0.96%

  • GSK

    -0.4100

    35.11

    -1.17%

  • RELX

    -0.4700

    46.12

    -1.02%

  • AZN

    0.1000

    65.29

    +0.15%

  • RYCEF

    -0.0500

    7.11

    -0.7%

  • BP

    0.4100

    28.57

    +1.44%

  • BTI

    0.1800

    35.42

    +0.51%

  • VOD

    0.2800

    8.75

    +3.2%

Poland hoping Swiatek can inspire BJK Cup 'revenge' against Spain
Poland hoping Swiatek can inspire BJK Cup 'revenge' against Spain / Photo: © AFP/File

Poland hoping Swiatek can inspire BJK Cup 'revenge' against Spain

Poland head into their first-round clash with hosts Spain at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals buoyed by the presence of Iga Swiatek and dreaming of a first-ever title in the team event.

Text size:

The Poles have finished bottom of their group in each of the past two years without five-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek, but she will be making her debut in the revamped knockout tournament.

Swiatek has struggled for her best form since winning her fourth French Open title earlier this year, failing to reach a final.

Her WTA Finals title defence ended in the group stage last week despite winning two of her three round-robin matches and she arrives in Malaga relatively fresh after missing several competitions in recent months.

"I'm happy that I can be part of the team again, because I always wanted that every year, but with the scheduling, it was pretty tricky and kind of impossible to make it work," world number two Swiatek told a press conference.

"I'm just happy to be here, and hopefully I can play some solid matches here and stay as long as possible together with the team."

Poland, who also have Magdalena Frech and Magda Linette in their squad, have comfortably the highest average ranking for their top three players of any team in the tournament.

The only other top-10 player scheduled to feature is Italy's world number four Jasmine Paolini.

Poland face a tricky opening tie, though, against Spain, with Swiatek set to face former world number two Paula Badosa.

Spain beat an understrength Poland in a dead rubber in last year's group stage, after both teams lost to eventual champions Canada.

"I believe we're going to get revenge, because last year was a tough one, but this year it's going to be a different match, different teams," said Polish captain Dawid Celt. "That's what I said, I believe we're gonna win the last point."

The winners of Wednesday's tie will face 11-time champions the Czech Republic in the quarter-finals.

- Canada eyeing unlikely double -

Reigning champions Canada have a first-round bye and will face either Germany or Britain in the last eight.

However, world number 31 Leylah Fernandez is their only player ranked in the top 100.

Record 18-time champions the United States are without their top three players, Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula and Emma Navarro, with Danielle Collins set to lead the side in their first-round tie against Slovakia on Thursday.

The winners will face Australia.

Japan will make their debut in the Finals after winning six straight ties last year and then defeating Kazakhstan in a play-off in April.

Naomi Osaka played in that clash in Tokyo but is absent in Spain, with Moyuka Uchijima their highest-ranked singles player, although they do boast three top-50 doubles players.

"Two years ago we start from the Asia Oceania regional event and we won five matches there, and also playoff," said captain Ai Sugiyama of her team's long journey.

"Naomi got injured, she really wanted to be here, but unfortunately she couldn't be ready for this BJK Finals.

"But we have a great team spirit."

Japan take on Romania on Thursday for the right to face Italy in the quarters.

T.Dixon--TFWP