Billie Jean King wants BJK Cup and Davis Cup to merge to form a World Cup of tennis – ‘I want us together’

Billie Jean King says she would happily see the women’s Billie Jean King Cup and the men’s Davis Cup be combined to form a World Cup of tennis.

The Billie Jean King Cup finals – named after the 39-time Grand Slam title winner – take place in Seville from November 7-12, while the Davis Cup runs from November 21-26.

King thinks it’s “really important” that there is a World Cup to create a format “the whole world understands”.

“I think it’s really important to have a World Cup for tennis,” King said.

“The whole world understands a World Cup. They know it’s country versus country.

“I want us together, I always want the men and women together. I think we can enhance it and make more of a focus on us. I think people like it when we are all happy together.”

BJK Cup tournament director Conchita Martinez is in favour of the idea, but only if women get equal time on show courts and the same access to practice courts.

Four of the world’s best players will not be competing at the BJK Cup this year. World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is not allowed to play at the tournament because Belarus are banned from team competition due to the invasion of Ukraine.

Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula have also decided not to compete at the tournament due to their packed schedule with the WTA finals taking place in Cancun, Mexico only a week before the BJK Cup finals in Spain.

The WTA chose to put the finals in Mexico in September. King believes the WTA should “figure out a better calendar” for the players.

“We’ve had our date for a long time, I think you should ask the WTA,” King said.

“They’re the one that put their date in a few weeks before they played.

“I think we all need to get together and figure out a better calendar for the players because you can’t start making these decisions on the finals in September.”