Udvardy hits out at the Hungarian federation: "This is disappointing"

Panna Udvardy is turning against her own federation. The Hungarian tennis player, number 78 in the WTA rankings, was not called up to participate in the Billie Jean King Cup playoff against the United States, which will take place in a month. However, she does not seem to have taken this decision very well, as she harshly criticized the Hungarian tennis federation after finding out five minutes before the official announcement.

The 28-year-old player, who reached the final of the WTA 250 in Colombia this year, vented through an Instagram post, where she highlighted other grievances she has faced with the federation: “During all the time I was injured, I never received a phone call asking how I was doing or how my recovery was progressing,” she said.

“When I received threats in Antalya, my own sports federation didn’t even respond to my emails. In those difficult times, I didn’t expect special treatment. I just wanted to feel that my federation was supporting me, cared about me, and valued me not only as a player but also as a person. Unfortunately, I did not experience that support or concern."

Udvardy had previously participated in six Billie Jean King Cup playoffs with Hungary

Udvardy was referring to the serious extortion threats through WhatsApp during the Antalya tournament, where she was demanded to lose her match under the threat of harming her family. In fact, this case exposed a possible security breach in the WTA's database.

Panna Udvardy has spoken out after being left out of Hungary’s Billie Jean King Cup squad for Delray Beach. She says the decision was communicated via email just 5 minutes before the public announcement, with no phone call. Because of the late notice she missed other tournament deadlines and her season effectively ends on November 7. She also highlighted past commitment to the team and the lack of support from the federation — including no response when she was threatened in Antalya earlier this year. Despite everything, she still wished the team success. 🇭🇺 #BJKCup #PannaUdvardy #Tennis

— Hariom (@HariomK61498) October 21, 2026

The Hungarian returned to the spotlight and expressed her frustration over not being called up, which has altered her plans: “Due to the commitment to Delray Beach, I also organized my tournament calendar to ensure that I would be rested and in the best possible condition to be available for the team. However, because the decision was communicated so late, I had already missed all the registration deadlines for the tournaments. Now I have no opportunity to participate in another tournament, which means my season will effectively end on November 7.”

But Udvardy saved her biggest criticism for last: “This is particularly disappointing because I tried to organize my schedule around the team to be there and help Hungary. I believe that a player who has represented Hungary numerous times deserved at least an honest conversation,” lamented someone who has participated in five Billie Jean King Cup playoffs since 2022, winning four of the six matches.
 

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Udvardy carga contra la federación húngara: "Esto es decepcionante"