Caroline Garcia says she and her husband turned down a $270,000 sponsorship proposal from an unnamed gambling company for their Tennis Insider Club podcast, citing concerns about the harm the betting industry can cause to players and fans.

Garcia and Borja Duran launched the podcast last year. The programme has become a place for top players and other figures in the sport to speak candidly about careers and life on tour. In a lengthy post on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday, Garcia said the couple decided to refuse the deal because the gambling industry has “become one of the biggest sources of pressure, abuse, and hate in modern sport.”

Her post referenced wider reporting about the problem, including a 2024 Reuters report that alleged disgruntled bettors were responsible for nearly half of the abusive comments tennis players receive on social media. Governing bodies in the sport have responded by seeking ways to address the abuse.

Garcia, a 31-year-old who retired from the tour after a first-round loss at the US Open, has spoken openly about the mental health struggles she experienced while playing. In a lengthy post on X last summer, she described receiving “hundreds” of abusive messages after a loss and questioned whether the growth of partnerships between tournaments and gambling companies has helped fuel that behaviour.

“Every player … has stories,” she wrote, and added: “I do not want Tennis Insider Club to contribute, even indirectly, to a system that fuels addiction, destroys lives, and turns athletes into daily targets.”

She defended the choice as a values decision: “If we expect athletes to trust us enough to be vulnerable on the podcast, to share their fears, doubts, and mental health battles, then we need to show them that we choose values over money,” Garcia wrote. She clarified her position: “I am not judging anyone who bets casually, or athletes who accept betting sponsors,” and continued, “I am simply choosing what we want to stand for, and what we do not want to amplify.”

The announcement drew public support from peers, with praise coming from International Tennis Hall of Famer Kim Clijsters, French Billie Jean King Cup teammate Alizé Cornet and player-turned-broadcaster Chris Eubanks. “Such a strong stance,” Cornet wrote. “We need more of this.”

Lindsay Davenport has signed a two-year contract renewal to remain the United States captain for the Billie Jean King Cup, the U.S. Tennis Association announced Tuesday.

Davenport, who took the captaincy in 2024, guided the American team to the competition’s final this year, the U.S. squad’s first appearance in that round since 2018. The Americans fell to Italy in the championship match.

“It’s an incredible honor to serve as U.S. Billie Jean Cup Captain, and I’m thrilled and humbled to continue doing it, especially during such an amazing time for women’s tennis in America,” Davenport said.

As a player, Davenport was part of U.S. teams that won the event in 1996, 1999 and 2000. Her individual résumé includes three Grand Slam singles titles, a stint at No. 1 in the WTA rankings and induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2014.

The renewal comes amid a strong year for American women’s tennis. With Coco Gauff at No. 3, Amanda Anisimova at No. 4, Jessica Pegula at No. 6 and Madison Keys at No. 7, this season marked the first time since 2004 that four American women finished the year inside the top 10.

In 2004 Davenport finished the season at No. 1 and was joined in the year-end top 10 by Serena Williams, Venus Williams and Jennifer Capriati.

The USTA said the extension preserves continuity for the Billie Jean King Cup program after the Americans returned to the final under Davenport’s leadership. The two-year deal keeps her in the role as the team prepares for forthcoming international ties and the next edition of the competition.

Jeline Vandromme produced the decisive spark as Belgium upset Germany and earned a spot in the 2026 Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers on her 18th birthday. The tie in Ismaning ended 2-0 in Belgium’s favor in front of a sold-out crowd of 1,415 at TC Ismaning.

Vandromme opened the meeting with a gritty win over Anna-Lena Friedsam, prevailing 7–6(0), 2–6, 6–3 in a one-hour-and-36-minute battle. “I am very happy to win the first point. I always expect a hard match, but I am just proud of myself for how I stayed in the match and stayed focused the whole time,” Vandromme said.

The US Open junior champion and ITF World Tennis Tour Junior Finals winner in Chengdu, ranked Junior World No. 2, has begun translating junior success into the women’s game; she has captured four ITF World Tennis Tour titles this season. Vandromme’s composure under pressure was a major factor in Belgium’s weekend run.

Hanne Vandewinkel closed out the tie, beating Ella Seidel 6–0, 6–4 in 72 minutes. Seidel, who replaced Eva Lys after a thigh injury forced Lys to withdraw, recovered in the second set but could not overturn the early deficit.

Belgium’s route to the final day had been unpredictable. Türkiye stunned Germany 2–1 on Friday, and a narrow victory by Belgium over Türkiye kept the weekend alive. At one point Ayla Aksu and Ipek Öz held match points in the decisive doubles against Belgium on Saturday. The final outcome returned to the scheduled Sunday showdown, but the home team could not take advantage of its support.

“We are super happy with the week,” team captain Wim Fissette said. “From the beginning we had a special energy and a positive atmosphere in the team. Yesterday was really tough but we managed to find a way to win. Today was just a really good day for us.”

“It’s special to be back,” Fissette added. “We played without our best player, but the young girls were able to do it. The result is great, but it is also important for me that the girls have taken a step forward since the last time we met. That’s positive for the future of Belgian tennis.”

Germany, who had sought their 100th Billie Jean King Cup tie win, will be relegated to Europe/Africa Group I for the first time since 2012. “We are very disappointed,” Germany’s team captain Rainer Schüttler said. “We had imagined it differently. But you could also see how close everything is here.”