Czech Republic Wins Billie Jean King Cup; WTA Finals Move to Indian Wells

Karolína Muchová and Linda Nosková beat Ukraine in Shenzhen to give the Czech Republic its first Billie Jean King Cup since 2018, as the WTA Finals shift to Indian Wells.

The Czech Republic captured its 12th Billie Jean King Cup championship on Sunday, defeating Ukraine 2-0 in the final in Shenzhen, China. It was the nation's first title in the competition since 2018.

Karolína Muchová, a 30-year-old Wimbledon finalist, put the Czechs ahead with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Anhelina Kalinina, who had won all five of her previous Billie Jean King Cup matches. Linda Nosková, 21, then secured the trophy with a 6-3, 7-6(5) defeat of Elina Svitolina.

Speaking on court afterward, Nosková called the result a collective one, saying the trophy could not have been won by any individual and crediting everyone who stood behind the team around the clock, from qualifying through previous seasons. She had already played a decisive part in November's play-off against Croatia, helping the Czechs fight back from 1-0 down in a tie that, if lost, would have cost the country its place among the top-tier nations in the event.

The championship also crowned a year of personal progress for the two leaders. Muchová, admired for her touch, footwork and inventive play, contested a Grand Slam final for the first time this season and collected a maiden WTA 1000 title, results grounded in sharper fundamentals.

Nosková has long counted her booming serve and soft hands among her chief assets, and she has added consistency beneath them while drawing on tour mileage unusual for a 21-year-old. Depth mattered as well: Marie Bouzková played the opening match of the quarterfinal victory over Great Britain, and Kateřina Siniaková, among the most decorated doubles players in history, never left the bench because the tie never required her to play.

Elsewhere on the calendar, the Laver Cup in London spent the week converting familiar rivals into bench-side boosters. Broadcast cameras caught Carlos Alcaraz nearly tipping out of his chair, Taylor Fritz sounding every bit a coach, Andre Agassi trading chest bump after chest bump, Jakub Menšík riding his emotions and Flavio Cobolli taking it all in with a constant smile.

Cobolli, an Italian in his third Laver Cup, told reporters in a London mixed zone that having Alcaraz and his teammates erupt over his points feels special, though he admitted the Spaniard's backing adds pressure because he wants to repay it with strong play. Australia's Alex de Minaur, playing for Team World, said bench time offers a rare window into what fellow professionals are thinking and feeling during a match, and that he enjoys following the action as a fan of the sport.

The war in Iran has continued to reshape tennis scheduling. The WTA Finals, originally set for Riyadh in November, has been relocated to Indian Wells, California. The expiration of a three-year arrangement between the women's tour and the Saudi Tennis Federation was unrelated to the conflict, and the tour had sought the change of venue for the 2026 edition earlier in the summer.

In February, Iran launched missiles at U.S. bases in Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates after American and Israeli strikes on Tehran. The closure of regional airspace left a group of men's tour players stuck in Dubai, where two finals at the ATP 500 event went ahead as detonations echoed in the distance. Both tours return to the Gulf every February — the WTA with a 500 event in Abu Dhabi and two 1000-level stops later in the month, the ATP with 500s in Dubai and Qatar — and officials are weighing how far to honor existing contracts while recognizing that every week of delay makes substitute plans and repayment of host costs harder.