King takes Iga absence as BJK Cup slap in the face

Billie Jean King is not best pleased that world No. 1 Iga Swiatek won’t bother to rush across the Atlantic to play in this month’s BJK Cup.

The old stager who got women’s tennis onto solid footing half a century ago decried Swiatek’s decision to skip the women’s equivalent of the Davis Cup.

The Polish player announced last month that she would not compete, citing the mad rush from the end of this week’s WTA Finals near Dallas to the Scottish venue for the BJK event.

Swiatek has won her first two round-robin matches at the Finals this week and looks well-placed to reach the weekend knockout stage with its Monday night final.

Play in Glasgow starts on Tuesday.

Swiatek labelled rushing across an ocean to compete in both as “unsafe” and said she would not bother.

King, winner of 12 Grand Slam singles titles in the 1970s and 1980s has other ideas: “I can totally understand her reasoning.

“I personally wouldn’t agree with it. But you know what? It’s about her. She’s the one that’s having to deal with reality now; I don’t. We’ll miss her.

“I would have liked her to wait a little longer, because you never know how you’re going to do.

“I mean, you just don’t know. And this is where you have to figure out for yourself what’s important to you. For me, this would be a no-brainer.”