‘Serious injury’ blow thrusts Australia’s No.1 back for Brisbane battle

Daria Saville will answer an SOS to join Australia’s Billie Jean King Cup tie with Mexico, after teammate and doubles star Storm Hunter succumbed to an ankle injury on the eve of the forthcoming clash in Brisbane.

Saville’s standing as her nation’s top-ranked singles player had initially failed to cement her place in the qualifying leg of the competition to begin on Friday, with captain Sam Stosur originally naming Hunter and Arina Rodionova to line up in the fixtures.

Daria Saville has been overlooked for the Billie Jean King Cup tie in favour of Arina Rodionova and Storm Hunter.Credit: AP

Hunter was also poised to take on the doubles on Saturday alongside Ellen Perez, but remains in serious doubt for the clash as she awaits scan results.

“An absolutely devastating event towards the end of practice,” Stosur said on Thursday night.

“Storm and Arina were practicing, and Storm went to take off for a ball and has unfortunately sustained a very serious injury.

“She’s going to be getting an MRI tonight, but obviously the tie still continues, so we’ve made a decision – Dasha is going to come in place of her.

“Obviously, we’re all rallying around Storm and wishing her the very best and the quickest recovery possible.”

Saville has had a career resurgence since suffering a series of career-threatening injuries, including back-to-back ACL ruptures – one of which kept her off the court until Wimbledon last year.

The 30-year-old former world No.20 has since forced her way back into the top 100, but was set to be a shock snubbing in favour of Hunter and Rodionova.

Rodionova has overcome a serious wrist injury to attain career-best form since returning in 2023, while Hunter has maintained her status as one of the globe’s leading doubles players, and reached the third round of the Australian Open in singles this year.

Hunter also made the final of the Mumbai Open in February, and has been a proven performer in the Billie Jean King Cup, while Saville’s recent outings have included a round of 32 exit at the Charleston Open, round of 64 defeat in Miami, and a quarter-finals charge at the San Diego Open.

Australian tennis player Storm Hunter.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

The victor of the looming clashes at Pat Rafter Arena will progress to the world finals of the all-female team tournament in November, an event Australia has not won in 50 years.

Rodionova will face off with Giuliana Olmos in the first match, set to begin at midday on Friday, before Saville takes on Marcela Zacarias.

The opponents will then swap on Saturday from noon, however Stosur may be able to bring Hunter back into the fold should she miraculously recover in time.

If she does not, Saville will also line up on Saturday and a decision will be made on who joins Perez in the doubles fold.

Arina Rodionova will don the Australian colours at this week’s Billie Jean King Cup leg against Mexico.Credit: Getty

“It certainly wasn’t an easy decision, I think all the players have certainly put their hand up to play this weekend – they’ve been very high-quality practices, and it wasn’t taken lightly,” Stosur said of her initial selections at Thursday morning’s unveiling of the draw to take.

“It’s not like putting any of these girls in was going to be a bad choice. It’s tough. They’re all very similar in rankings at the moment or have been exceptionally well in recent times, so … I guess some of it you have to go with your gut and put it out there.

“We’ve got five very high-quality players to pick from to play in any of these matches.”