Injured Muchova replaced by Bouzkova for BJK Cup Finals, but Czechs remain formidable

Karolina Muchova has withdrawn from the Czech team for the 2023 Billie Jean King Cup by Gainbridge Finals in Seville due to a wrist injury. 

The world No. 8, who will also miss out on competing at her first WTA Finals in Cancun, has not competed since reaching the semi-finals at the 2023 US Open due to the injury.

“Together with the team and doctors we tried everything till the last moments to resolve my wrist injury,” Muchova posted on Instagram. “Unfortunately, the time needed for the recovery is longer than we would've hoped for and therefore I had to make this unpleasant decision. I greatly appreciate the support of all the fans.”

Muchova, who has played five ties for her country since making her debut in 2019 and helped Petr Pala’s side reach the last four at the 2022 Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Glasgow, has been replaced in the Czechia team by world No. 34 Marie Bouzkova.

Bouzkova, a quarter-finalist at Wimbledon in 2022, has twice been nominated for her country but has yet to make her debut in the Billie Jean King Cup.

She joins world No. 6 Marketa Vondrousova, No. 10 Barbora Krejcikova, No. 41 Linda Noskova and No. 46 Katerina Siniakova in a formidable Czechia side, with the 11-time champions seeking to win the women’s World Cup of Tennis for the first time since 2018 in Seville on 7-12 November.