Hungry Aussies eye iconic 'Billie Blues'

They are destined to be the most iconic garments in women's sport - and Australia's best tennis players are determined to be wearing them next year.

There were a few envious glances from Alicia Molik and her team in Glasgow as they watched the great Billie Jean King present elegant blue jackets to their BJK Cup final conquerors Switzerland on Sunday.

They were the first world champions ever to be awarded the 'Billie Blue' jackets, complete with an inscribed message from King in the lining.

"I want it to be as iconic as the Masters winner's green jacket. Only the winning team and its coaches will ever get one of these each year," the 78-year King said before dressing the victors.

An emotional Jil Teichmann, whose win over Storm Sanders set the Swiss on the way to their triumph, said, "As Billie says, 'pressure is a privilege', but this jacket is a privilege as well. 

"We are the first ones and it's always going to be like that. It's just very, very special."

So special that Molik, after seeing her team reach the semi-final last year and the final this time around, wants 2023 to be the year the Australians claim their own 'Billie Blues'.

"That's the plan," she said. "Winning it? Well, it would be nice, wouldn't it? We've got blue in our flag - so it's probably inevitable at some stage."

But will that time come sooner, rather than later? 

The good news was that Australia's team punched above its collective weight to reach the final, with Sanders a revelation.

But when it came to the biggest fight, they could not lay a glove on proper heavyweights as they lost a 10th final since last winning in 1974.

Australia's No.1 Ajla Tomljanovic kept faith in the future despite being steamrolled 6-2 6-1 by Switzerland's imperious Belinda Bencic. 

"It just wasn't meant to be for me today," she said. 

"It stinks - but this team has so much potential. I do believe we are going to get the big one at some point."

So does Molik, proud at how the understudies keep showing why there is life in Aussie women's tennis after Ash Barty.

"We want to get back to another final," she said. "We've had two finals in four years and you have to keep chipping away, you can't be despondent.

"Every year our level grows and every year we play great tennis in this format. So we'll learn from this, we'll return next year and we'll be even hungrier, no doubt about that."