Touted as one of the favorites on paper, the USA's supposed star-studded lineup to play at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals next week will face a wholesome of changes.
After their top two ranked WTA players - Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula - didn't sign up for the event, they were left short in depth. But the expectation was that Madison Keys would step up to fill the void after a fine season locked her Top 20 spot in the rankings.
But Keys appears to have bowed down to fatigue and exhaustion, having played at the WTA Elite Trophy this past week. She looked like a player in dear need of a holiday, losing both of her group matches and being eliminated. In fact, her end to the season has been dismal, losing four matches in a row.
Rather than risk her compatriots' campaign by operating at less than 100%, Keys has now pulled out from the event, scheduled to start on November 7 in Seville, Spain, where the USA will battle defending champions Switzerland and a Czech team replete with talent in Group A.
Having lost Gauff and Pegula, outgoing US team captain Kathy Rinaldi will now digest the news of Madison Keys forfeiting her place in the team. The 25-year-old from Rock Island, Illinois, has been replaced by rising star Peyton Stearns, who reached her first WTA Tour final in Bogota and recently broke the world's Top 50.
Stearns has never played in the competition before, so this will be her first taste (one of two debutants in the team). She'll be joining the team after the conclusion of the WTA 125K event in Midland, where she is actively competing this week.
The most experienced head of the team is now 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens, who last featured at the Billie Jean King Cup back in 2020. Stephens will look to galvanize the five-player squad, including resurgent Sofia Kenin, Danielle Collins, and Taylor Townsend.
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