FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Billie Jean King Cup Finals - Estadio de La Cartuja, Seville, Spain - November 12, 2023 Canada celebrate on the podium with the trophy after winning the Billie Jean King Cup REUTERS/Marcelo Del Pozo/File Photo
(Reuters) - The Billie Jean King Cup finals will take place over nine days with a knockout round replacing the group stage, organisers the International Tennis Federation (ITF) said on Thursday.
The tournament will kick off in Seville, Spain on Nov. 12 and end on Nov. 20, with the last two days of the competition overlapping with the first two days of the Davis Cup finals taking place in Malaga, the ITF said in a statement.
"The finals are taking place one week later in the season compared with previous years due to an extended WTA calendar," the ITF said in a statement.
"This is also an exciting way for fans to enjoy both the men’s and women’s events and, by travelling between two cities, take full advantage of the Andalusian region," ITF President David Haggerty said.
The tournament, which used to feature 12 national teams in four round robin groups, will now have eight teams in a knockout round one, with four seeded teams receiving a bye to the quarter finals.
"The schedule and format for the 2024 Billie Jean King Cup Finals was agreed following consultation with players, captains and the WTA Player Council," Haggerty added.
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Davis)
