Ashleigh Barty, the champion of Wimbledon, has chosen not to lead the Australian team at the Billie Jean King Cup finals. The tournament, the top international team event for women, is slated for November 1–6 in Prague. Barty's decision to skip this inaugural edition of the renamed cup has sparked speculation regarding whether she will return to the court this season.
The competition was once called the Fed Cup, and Barty famously led the Australian team to the final in 2019. While the newly rebranded tournament was scrapped last year due to COVID-19, the world's top-ranked player recently returned home after a surprising third-round loss at the US Open in September.
There have been earlier reports from Barty's team suggesting she might pass on defending her WTA championship title in Mexico. Such a gap in her schedule could interfere with her training for the 2022 Australian Open. Consequently, Ajla Tomljanovic will now take the lead of the less experienced Australian squad for this 12-team tournament.
After choosing to remain in Australia during the height of the pandemic, Barty missed the bulk of the 2020 season. The 25-year-old returned to form this year, winning five titles, the highlight being her first Wimbledon trophy at the All England Club in July.
Samantha Jane Stosur, a former US Open winner and world number one in doubles, will also be absent from the finals. Joining Wimbledon quarter-finalist Ajla Tomljanovic are West Australians Storm Sanders and Astra Sharma. Additionally, the squad will welcome newcomers Olivia Gadecki, a teenager, and Ellen Perez from Wollongong, both making their Billie Jean King Cup debuts.
Both Storm Sanders and Astra Sharma are known for their strength in team formats. Sharma, who secured her first WTA singles title in Charleston in April 2021, also teamed up with Perez to win her second WTA doubles title in Guadalajara.