First Billie Jean King Cup match in Malaga postponed following severe weather warning

The start of the Billie Jean King Cup 2024 in Malaga, Spain, has been delayed due to a severe weather alert issued by authories in the region. The tournament was due to begin on Wednesday with hosts Spain facing Iga Swiatek’s Poland at 5pm local time.

Local authorities issued an alert on Tuesday night for torrential rain, thunderstorms and possible flooding, prompting the ITF to cancel all play on Wednesday. Schools, sporting activities and local transport have also all been suspended.

Spain’s match with Poland at the Martin Carpena Arena has been rescheduled for Friday, November 15 at 10am local time. All tickets already purchased are valid for the new date.

In a statement the ITF said: "This decision has been made based on guidance from the relevant authorities to ensure the health and safety of all participants and attendees. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding and cooperation."

It’s just two weeks since more than 200 people were killed by devastating flash flooding in the Spanish region of Valencia. The ITF joined with the Billie Jean King and Davis Cups to ask for donations to the Spanish Red Cross in the wake of the disaster.

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The first match of the Billie Jean King Cup is now set to be Japan against Romania at 10am on Thursday, although official confirmation of the schedule is yet to be received.