Twenty-year-old American Ashlyn Krueger has been announced as a replacement for Jessica Pegula on the U.S. Billie Jean King Cup team, set to compete in the Finals from November 13-20 in Malaga, Spain.
Originally expected to be the top-ranked American player on the team, world No. 6 Pegula has withdrawn from the event for undisclosed reasons. She last competed earlier this month at the Wuhan Open, where she was upset in the third round by China’s Wang Xiyu but reached the doubles final. Pegula is now preparing for the prestigious WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, held from November 2-9.
For Krueger, this nomination marks her debut appearance on the national team. The 6-foot-1 Dallas native had an impressive summer, securing three wins over Top-25 players and reaching the third round of the US Open. She’s currently ranked No. 65 in singles and No. 64 in doubles, bringing fresh talent and energy to the team.
Krueger will join Danielle Collins, Peyton Stearns, Taylor Townsend, and Caroline Dolehide in representing the United States. The USA will head to Malaga without its top three players, as Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, and Emma Navarro will not be competing.
The Billie Jean King Cup, often regarded as the “World Cup of Women’s Tennis,” will feature a 12-nation, knockout-style bracket to determine this year’s champion. Team USA faces Slovakia in the first round on November 14, with the winner moving on to play Australia in the quarterfinals. Each tie will consist of two singles matches and one doubles match in a best-of-three format.
