Anna 
The Billie Jean King Cup Finals will now take place in September instead of November, organisers announced on Thursday. The tournament, set to be held in Shenzhen, China, has also been reduced from 12 teams to eight, matching the format of the men’s Davis Cup Finals.
The finals will begin on September 16, with the championship match scheduled for September 21.
Organisers said the new dates are meant to “align the event with the start of the WTA tournaments in Asia, supporting player calendar flow.” Six teams will qualify for the finals, joining host nation China and reigning champions Italy, who won their fifth title last year by beating Slovakia in Malaga.
While the schedule change was announced, action continued in the qualifiers. In Brisbane, Kazakhstan secured a 2-0 win over seven-time champions Australia, thanks to a strong performance by world No. 10 Elena Rybakina.
Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon winner, battled hard to defeat Kimberly Birrell 6-3, 7-6(4) in the second singles match of their Group D tie. She recovered from an early break in the first set, leveling the score at 3-3 before closing the set with a powerful ace. Birrell built a 5-1 lead in the second set but couldn’t convert a set point, allowing Rybakina to rally and seal the win in a tiebreak.
“It was such a difficult match,” said Rybakina. “I’m super happy to bring the win for the team. It’s always nice to be back in Australia.”
Earlier in the day, Yulia Putintseva gave Kazakhstan an early lead by beating debutant Maya Joint 6-2, 6-1 at Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane.
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