PARIS: The 2024 Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Seville will be played as a straight knock-out competition without a group phase for the first time, the International Tennis Federation said on Thursday.

Organisers have scrapped the group stage for the finals, scheduled for Nov 12 until Nov 20 this year.

The top four seeded nations will receive byes into the quarters at La Cartuja Stadium in Seville, with the other eight teams to play in round one.

The Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup Finals, which will be held in Malaga from Nov 19, will also overlap for the first time, creating a “fortnight of World Cup tennis”.

The qualifying rounds were completed earlier in April. Reigning BJK Cup champions Canada were joined in the Finals by Australia, the Czech Republic, Britain, Germany, Italy, Japan, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, the US and hosts Spain.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2024