Gauff, Osaka & Swiatek Among High-Profile Players Skipping BJK Cup Qualifiers
News
The 2025 Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers will be missing many top WTA players who have elected not to feature in that stage of the team event.
Players having a chance to represent their countries means there is often a lot of passion in the stands and on the court during the Billie Jean King Cup. That was clearly shown when Team Italy won the tournament last year.
The 2025 Billie Jean King Cup qualifying round occurs the week of April 7th. There are six groups of three teams, a different format from last year, which had home and away ties between the two countries.
Many top players have committed to playing at the tournament. Jessica Pegula and Danielle Collins are on the USA team, Elena Rybakina is on Kazakhstan's team, Belinda Bencic is on Switzerland's team, and Elina Svitolina is set to represent Team Ukraine.
However, some of the most significant names in the women's game will be missing, dealing a blow to their respective countries' hopes of qualifying for the end-of-season Finals and replicating Team Italy's achievement.
Coco Gauff is one of the top players who will not play in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals. She also did not feature in last year's qualifiers or Finals, making the 21-year-old's decision unsurprising.
Gauff chose to represent Team USA at the United Cup, held during the new season's opening week. She and Taylor Fritz led the Americans to the title at the mixed event, beating Team Poland in the final.
Madison Keys is another notable American missing from the team. Captain Lindsay Davenport would have loved having her on the team after her stunning start to 2025, which includes winning the 2025 Australian Open title.
The 30-year-old also won the Adelaide International the week before the Australian Open began and extended her winning streak since the start of 2025 to 16 matches by reaching the semifinal of the 2025 Indian Wells Open.
Although Gauff and Keys' absences are a blow, the American team is still very strong with Pegula, Collins, and the in-form McCartney Kessler. By contrast, Team Poland were dealt a much more serious blow.
Iga Swiatek is not on the Polish team, despite being the hosts on an indoor clay court in Group E against Switzerland and Ukraine. The captain might have been trying to tempt her to play by choosing clay as the surface.
Unfortunately for Team Poland and the fans who bought tickets, the four-time French Open champion has decided not to feature. Swiatek, who beat Qinwen Zheng in the Indian Wells Open quarterfinal, has spoken about the intensity of the schedule and not having much recovery time.
Naomi Osaka will also miss the Billie Jean King Cup quarterfinals. She missed last year's Finals with a back injury and only just returned from an abdominal injury at the Indian Wells Open, losing in the opening round to Camila Osorio.
Team Spain's hopes have been severely damaged by Paula Badosa's absence. This year's Australian Open semifinalist withdrew from the Indian Wells Open, and it is unclear if she will be fit in time for the 2025 Miami Open.
Karolina Muchova and Leylah Fernandez are among the other players who will not be playing the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers.
