The Billie Jean King Cup Finals begin in Shenzhen on Tuesday without two of their biggest names. Elena Rybakina withdrew from Kazakhstan's squad on Friday, six days after she beat Aryna Sabalenka in the US Open final, saying the last month "has been tough for my body". Marta Kostyuk pulled out of Ukraine's the same day, after a scan showed her wrist needed more time to recover.

Italy, the champions in 2024 and 2025, start their defence against the hosts, China, on Thursday. A third straight title would make them the first nation to win three in a row since Czechia, who did it from 2014 to 2016.

Each tie is settled in a day, with a doubles only if the two singles are split. All but one start at 10:00 BST, 17:00 in Shenzhen; Ukraine v Belgium begins at 03:00 BST on Thursday. The final is on Sunday 27 September.

Czechia and Great Britain open the Finals

Czechia, 11-time champions, last won the title in 2018. They arrive with the Wimbledon champion, Linda Nosková, the player she beat in the all-Czech final, Karolína Muchová, and the doubles world No. 1, Kateřina Siniaková. All five of Barbora Strýcová's players are ranked above every British player in singles.

Great Britain, the second seeds, have reached three of the last four semi-finals but have never won the title. Sonay Kartal, playing her first event in six months after a stress fracture in her lower back, is nominated to face Marie Bouzková in the opening rubber, then Katie Boulter plays Nosková. Jodie Burrage and Harriet Dart are named for the doubles against Muchová and Siniaková, if it is needed.

I think naturally we are definite underdogs.

Katie Boulter, speaking to BBC Sport before the tie

Czechia lead the head-to-head 4-3. The winners play Kazakhstan or Spain on Friday.

Kazakhstan go on without Rybakina

Kazakhstan face Spain on Wednesday with Yulia Putintseva leading the singles and Anna Danilina the doubles. They have already won without Rybakina this year, beating Canada 3-1 in Astana in April, when Putintseva clinched the tie against Bianca Andreescu. Kazakhstan are chasing a first final.

Spain have not won since 1998, the last of their five titles, but have reached every Finals since the current format arrived in 2021. Cristina Bucșa leads a squad that also includes Jéssica Bouzas Maneiro and Sara Sorribes Tormo.

Italy start against the hosts

Italy beat China 2-0 at the same stage last year, but both Elisabetta Cocciaretto and Jasmine Paolini had to come from a set down. Tathiana Garbin has brought back all five players from last year's winning team, including Paolini and Sara Errani, the 2024 Olympic doubles champions.

China are led by Zheng Qinwen, the 2024 Olympic singles champion, alongside Wang Xiyu, Zhang Shuai, Guo Hanyu and Jiang Xinyu, with Zheng Jie as captain.

The winners meet Ukraine or Belgium on Saturday. Ukraine lost last year's semi-final 2-1 to Italy, when Paolini beat Elina Svitolina and then won the deciding doubles with Errani. Svitolina leads again, with Anhelina Kalinina, Katarina Zavatska and Lyudmyla Kichenok. Belgium, who beat the United States in qualifying, are without Elise Mertens and the injured Jeline Vandromme, leaving Hanne Vandewinkel to lead a side that includes two late call-ups, Jana Otzipka and Lara Salden.