Badosa to Lead Spain in Billie Jean King Cup in Málaga

Spain, led by Anabel Medina, will enlist Paula Badosa, Jessica Bouzas, Cristina Bucsa, Nuria Párrizas, and Sara Sorribes for the final phase of the Billie Jean King Cup, which will take place in Málaga from November 13 to 20.

Badosa, who skipped the Olympic Games to improve her ranking after falling out of the top 100, achieved her best results of the year during the North American tour. She won her first title in two and a half years in Washington, reached the semifinals in Cincinnati, and climbed to the US Open quarterfinals for the first time in her career.

The Spaniard has returned to the top 20, overcoming back issues that sidelined her for the second half of 2023. She will lead Spain in the Billie Jean King Cup round of 16 against Poland.

In a press conference held in Valencia during the Davis Cup group stage, Medina confirmed that Badosa will be accompanied by debutant Bouzas, Párrizas, Bucsa, and Sorribes.

"We have a very complete team," said the captain. "Paula has regained the level she had been showing some time ago as she is much better with her back and has been performing very well lately with those US Open quarterfinals," she added.

Medina's list notably includes Bouzas, who at 21 years old made a name for herself with an impressive Wimbledon performance where she defeated reigning champion Marketa Vondrousova on Centre Court before reaching the third round—a result she replicated at the US Open. Thanks to these results, the Pontevedra native has secured a spot within the world's top 100.

"She brings a breath of fresh air to the team," said Medina. "It's very exciting for me because she has always been talked about as a promise and now she has become a reality. Her progress has been very rapid and, most importantly, she has shown that she likes big stages and has defeated high-level players," she added.

In addition to Badosa and Bouzas' singles options, Spain boasts a strong doubles pair in Sorribes and Bucsa. The duo not only won this year's Madrid Masters 1000 but also clinched a bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Spain will face Poland in the round of 16, which features world number one Iga Swiatek. The format is similar to that of the Davis Cup, with each tie consisting of two singles matches and one doubles match. If Spain defeats Poland, they will face the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals.