Billie Jean Cup tie begins with emotional tribute to Ukraine

Thoughts of the war in Ukraine were front and centre during an emotional opening ceremony for the Billie Jean King Cup qualifier tie between the United States and Ukraine in the North Carolina mountains on Friday.

With 78-year-old American great King in attendance, Ukraine-born North Carolina resident Yuliia Kashirets gave an emotional rendition of the war-torn country's national anthem.

As Kashirets, who was introduced as having a brother serving in the Ukraine military, belted out the anthem, players from the Ukrainian and United States teams flanked King as they stood on court.

Odesa-born world number 93 Dayana Yastremska was draped in a Ukrainian flag, while a tear rolled down her team mate Katarina Zavatska's cheek.

A quarter of Ukraine's 44 million people have been driven from their homes and thousands have died since Russia began its invasion of the country in February. Russia initially described its aims in Ukraine as disarming its neighbour and defeating nationalists there. Kyiv and its Western allies say those are bogus justifications for an unprovoked war of aggression.

Elton John's 1975 hit Philadelphia Freedom, which the British musician penned in honour of Philadelphia-born King's commitment to equal rights and social justice, was also played.

The ceremony also included a moment of silence for the "people of Ukraine" after the stadium announcer said: "In this spirit we salute the courage and peace loving people of Ukraine and stand in solitary with them as they stand so bravely in the face of unprovoked aggression."

Earlier in the week, Zavatska spoke about the difficulty of focusing on tennis as war raged back home.

"There is not one day we don't think about it," she said.

"Every day I'm calling my parents, my