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Sizzling Swiatek Sends Poland into Billie Jean King Cup Finals

Iga Swiatek, of Poland, gets ready to serve against Mihaela Buzarnescu, of Romania, during a singles match of the qualifying round of the Billie Jean King Cup in Radom, Poland, Friday, April 15, 2022. (AP)
Iga Swiatek, of Poland, gets ready to serve against Mihaela Buzarnescu, of Romania, during a singles match of the qualifying round of the Billie Jean King Cup in Radom, Poland, Friday, April 15, 2022. (AP)
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Sizzling Swiatek Sends Poland into Billie Jean King Cup Finals

Iga Swiatek, of Poland, gets ready to serve against Mihaela Buzarnescu, of Romania, during a singles match of the qualifying round of the Billie Jean King Cup in Radom, Poland, Friday, April 15, 2022. (AP)
Iga Swiatek, of Poland, gets ready to serve against Mihaela Buzarnescu, of Romania, during a singles match of the qualifying round of the Billie Jean King Cup in Radom, Poland, Friday, April 15, 2022. (AP)

Poland's red-hot world number one Iga Swiatek did not drop a game in her Saturday singles match against Romania's Andreea Prisacariu, sending Poland through to November's Billie Jean King Cup finals in decisive fashion.

Swiatek, who put Poland up 2-0 on Friday by thrashing Mihaela Buzarnescu 6-1 6-0 for an 18th straight win, continued her sizzling form, as the 20-year-old broke Prisacariu six times in Radom, Poland.

Joining Poland in the finals will be the Czech Republic, Spain, Kazakhstan, Italy, Belgium, United States and Canada.

"I'm really proud. I was really working hard for that. Even though I didn't play last year, I feel it's been a long journey and it took us a few years to progress step by step and qualify for the finals," Swiatek said after her 6-0 6-0 victory.

"It just shows what a strong team we are. Hopefully in the finals we're going to show even more progress and we're going to succeed."

Marketa Vondrousova and Karolina Muchova won the doubles decider for 11-time champions Czech Republic to clinch their finals berth with a 3-2 victory over Britain, beating Harriet Dart and Katie Swan 6-1 7-5 in Prague.

In singles play, Vondrousova, the 2019 French Open runner-up, earlier picked apart Britain's Emma Raducanu 6-1 6-1 as the teenager struggled with blisters on her right foot before Dart leveled the tie at 2-2 with a 6-0 5-7 6-2 win over 16-year-old Linda Fruhvirtova of the Czech Republic.

Kazakhstan progressed at the expense of Germany with Elena Rybakina coming from a set down to get past three-times Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber 4-6 6-3 7-5 in Nur-Sultan in Kazakhstan.

Four-time winners Italy advanced after Camila Giorgi secured the decisive point in their victory over France in Sardinia with a 6-2 6-0 thrashing of Harmony Tan.

Spain will bid for a sixth title, despite missing Paula Badosa and Garbine Muguruza this weekend, after Sara Sorribes Tormo beat Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands 6-0 6-4 to secure their passage to the finals.

Ukraine fall short

The United States squeezed through to the finals with a 3-2 home victory over Ukraine in Asheville, North Carolina, but only after receiving a mighty scare by the visitors from the war-torn nation.

Underdogs Dayana Yastremska and Katarina Zavatska won their respective singles matches in straight sets on Saturday but the United States ultimately prevailed in the doubles decider, won 7-6(5) 6-3 by Jessica Pegula and Asia Muhammad over Yastremska and Lyudmyla Kichenok.

In Vancouver, Canada confirmed their place in the finals by beating Latvia.

US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez won her Saturday singles over Daniela Vismane 6-2 6-1 to give the hosts an unassailable lead.

Belgium had an easy route to the finals, receiving a walkover with opponents Belarus being suspended from international team competitions following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Belarus is a key staging area for the invasion, which Russia calls a "special operation."

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Saudi National Team Coach: We Aim to Conclude Our Participation in the Best Possible Manner

Renard stressed the importance of players being actively involved in domestic competitions - SPA
Renard stressed the importance of players being actively involved in domestic competitions - SPA
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Saudi National Team Coach: We Aim to Conclude Our Participation in the Best Possible Manner

Renard stressed the importance of players being actively involved in domestic competitions - SPA
Renard stressed the importance of players being actively involved in domestic competitions - SPA

Saudi national team head coach Hervé Renard affirmed during a pre-match press conference ahead of the team’s encounter with the UAE that the squad aims to conclude its participation in the tournament in the best possible manner. He noted that reaching this stage was not the desired objective, but focus and readiness remain essential requirements.

Renard explained that preparations for the match against Jordan were solid and that statistics reflected the Saudi team’s superiority in terms of possession and presence in the opponent’s half, as well as prior understanding of the opponent’s strategy, SPA reported.

However, he said that failure to capitalize on scoring opportunities prevented goals, while Jordan’s team succeeded in converting its chances.

He stated that exiting the semifinals is a difficult challenge for everyone, emphasizing the need to maintain professionalism and prepare well to secure victory in tomorrow’s match. He noted that the team delivered strong performances in previous matches, but effectiveness in front of goal remains a decisive factor that must be further developed in the next phase.

Renard stressed the importance of players being actively involved in domestic competitions, emphasizing that preparation for the World Cup requires higher readiness and a more competitive level to present the image expected on the global stage.

Saudi national team player Abdulrahman Al-Aboud said the ambition had been to win the title, but that was not achieved, noting the players’ readiness to compete for third place against the UAE national team.

Sports

Carlos Alcaraz Ends 7-year Partnership with Coach Juan Carlos Ferrero

Carlos Alcaraz reacts after winning the first set against Joao Fonseca during the Miami Tennis Invitational tournament, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Carlos Alcaraz reacts after winning the first set against Joao Fonseca during the Miami Tennis Invitational tournament, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
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Carlos Alcaraz Ends 7-year Partnership with Coach Juan Carlos Ferrero

Carlos Alcaraz reacts after winning the first set against Joao Fonseca during the Miami Tennis Invitational tournament, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Carlos Alcaraz reacts after winning the first set against Joao Fonseca during the Miami Tennis Invitational tournament, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz is parting ways with his longtime coach Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Alcaraz announced their decision to end a seven-year partnership on Wednesday in a message on his social networks, The AP news reported.

With Ferrero, Alcaraz has claimed six Grand Slam titles __ two French Open titles, two Wimbledon crowns and two US Opens.

“After more than seven years together, Juanki and I have decided to bring our chapter together as coach and player to an end,” Alacaraz wrote. Thank you for turning childhood dreams into reality. We started this journey when I was barely a kid, and throughout all this time you’ve accompanied me on an incredible journey, on and off the court. I’ve enjoyed every single step with you immensely."

Sports

FIFA Launches $60 Ticket Tier amid Criticism of 2026 World Cup Pricing 

13 December 2024, Switzerland, Zurich: The FIFA logo is seen on the façade of FIFA headquarters before the draw ceremony for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. (dpa)
13 December 2024, Switzerland, Zurich: The FIFA logo is seen on the façade of FIFA headquarters before the draw ceremony for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. (dpa)
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FIFA Launches $60 Ticket Tier amid Criticism of 2026 World Cup Pricing 

13 December 2024, Switzerland, Zurich: The FIFA logo is seen on the façade of FIFA headquarters before the draw ceremony for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. (dpa)
13 December 2024, Switzerland, Zurich: The FIFA logo is seen on the façade of FIFA headquarters before the draw ceremony for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. (dpa)

FIFA introduced on Tuesday a small number of $60 "Supporter Entry Tier" tickets, aiming to make next year's World Cup more affordable for fans of qualified teams.

Football's governing body said that the discounted tickets would cover all 104 matches of the tournament, including the final.

The cheaper tickets will make up 10% of Participating Member Associations' (PMAs) allocations.

The PMAs, which represent competing national teams and manage dedicated fan ticket programs, will handle the ticket allocation process.

They will also define their own criteria to prioritize tickets for "loyal fans" closely connected to their national teams.

"In total, half of each PMA's ticket allocation will fall within the most affordable categories: 40% under the Supporter Value Tier and 10% under the new Supporter Entry Tier," FIFA said in a statement.

"The remaining allocation will be split evenly between the Supporter Standard Tier and the Supporter Premier Tier," it added.

Fans who apply through PMA ticketing programs and whose teams fail to progress to the knockout stage will have administrative fees waived for refund requests.

The announcement comes amid growing scrutiny of ticket pricing ahead of the 2026 tournament, set to take place from June 11 to July 19 across Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Last week, Football Supporters Europe (FSE) accused FIFA of imposing "extortionate" ticket prices that could prevent average fans from attending the event.

'STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION'

FSE director Ronan Evain told Reuters on Tuesday that while the new pricing was a step in the right direction, it was "clearly not sufficient".

He noted that following a team to the final would cost $480 under category four, but jumps to $6,900 for category three, meaning one fan "sitting in the same section" as another could pay 15 times more.

Evain also said there was a lack of transparency around ticket distribution.

"FIFA doesn't provide any guidelines or obligations for the PMAs. They have the freedom to choose how they distribute the tickets," he said.

According to the BBC, this will mean about 400 of the cheaper tickets will be available for England and Scotland in their group games, yet Evain said that most PMAs don't disclose the number of tickets.

FIFA said in its statement on Tuesday that PMAs were requested to ensure that these cheaper tickets were "specifically allocated to loyal fans who are closely connected to their national teams".

Evain also raised concerns about accessibility for fans with disabilities. "The cheapest they can get all the way to the final is $7,000 and they also must pay full price for companion seats, meaning that following a team to the final could cost $14,000," he said.

Reuters has put Evain's points to FIFA for comment.

Despite the backlash, FIFA reported strong interest in the sale's third phase draw, which began on December 11 and will remain open until January 13, driven by the release of match schedules, venues and kick-off times.