Australia down to reveal bones for Billie Jean King Cup finals after WTA scheduling catastrophe

[ad_1]

Australia captain Alicia Molik is backing Daria Saville and Ajla Tomljanovic to get the job accomplished after being left with solely three gamers for Australia’s opening Billie Jean King Cup finals tie in Spain.

A scheduling fiasco and the climate gods have compelled Ellen Perez out of Tuesday night time’s conflict with Slovenia, whereas newly-crowned world primary doubles ace Storm Hunter is just resulting from land in Seville 45 minutes earlier than the tie begins.

Perez resorted to asking for a journey on social media after shedding the rain-delayed WTA Finals doubles decider in Cancún together with her American associate Nicole Melichar-Martinez on Tuesday morning (AEDT).

“Anybody acquired a personal jet and need to fly me from Cancun to Seville tomorrow night time 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 desires to play or not,” Molik mentioned.

“She’s skilled sufficient. I am simply conservative. If she would not really feel fairly proper, she’s acquired the best to say ‘save me for Thursday’.

“I imply, it is 18-hour door-to-door journey so anybody could be forgiven for not eager to play as they land.”

Both approach, 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 group that made final 12 months’s remaining 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.

Crew Australia is all the way down to the naked bones on the Billie Jean King Cup finals.(Getty Photographs: ITF/Fran Santiago)

And if Hunter presents in form to play, the captain will let the left-hander select her personal associate.

“She’s primary on this planet — she will decide whoever she desires to play with,” Molik mentioned.

“I will be on the courtroom with the 2 singles gamers so in order that’s one thing that she’ll should quietly resolve herself.

“No matter occurs, I feel we should always beat Slovenia and sooner or later it’s a must to belief your gamers to make the best calls.

“However, as we converse, we solely have three gamers right here.

“We have solely had three gamers since arriving final Wednesday.

Molik’s dilemma is essentially as a result of WTA scheduling the so-called “ladies’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 approach, 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 towards 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.