Badosa: “I look forward to playing against Swiatek”

Paula Badosa these days in France is in a hurry to prepare it for Billie Jean King Cup Finals which will be held in Malaga from November 13 to 20, when he will lead the Spanish team led by Anabel Medina. On Wednesday, November 13, starting at 5 pm, Spain will face Poland, featuring current world number two Iga Swiatek. Entries are still available on the competition website www.billiejeuankingcup.com

Paula Badosa ended her season on the WTA circuit to rest and prepare for her final event of the year in Malaga. It was a strange year with a difficult start but one that managed to turn around and end the year on the rise, establishing itself in the fifteen best in the world. “It was a radical change, of extremes. A bit like me and that was noticed”pointed out the Catalan player who became world number two in 2022 and is now preparing for the Billie Jean King Finals as the leader of the Spanish team.

The end of the course is about to close for the Spanish player who is happy to assume the leadership of the national team and is already thinking about the rivalry with the one who has dominated the circuit in recent times, Iga Swiatek, who has just announced his presence in the Polish rival team from Spain.

Paula Badosa, in an interview with Agencia EFE, commented that she expects a great tennis event in Malaga with the Billie Jean King Cup A few days ago she retired in the semifinals of Ningbo and closed an amazing stretch with title Washington, semifinals. in Beijing and Cincinnati and quarterfinals at the United States Open. The second half of the year has been amazing.

“That’s true I am very happy for the year. obviously, at the beginning of the season, it costs more” explained Badosa. “The back was not responding the way I expected and we finally found a solution. It stopped hurting and I could start training harder and I think, in my case, if my body respects me, I know that the results will come sooner or later,” he added.

He was the first to be surprised by a big change. “Obviously I did not expect, perhaps, such a rapid change, but the truth is that I am very happy with the level; especially with all the games that I played in the second half of the year until now I also managed to play often , which is something that worries me too, with the injury,” commented the Catalan tennis player “So, for now, everything seems to be fine. I have finished the season, I have the Billie Jean King Cup in Malaga which is something that also excites me. To represent my country and play at home I also think is something very nice and I’m really looking forward to it.”

The change was radical from one mid-period to the next. Semifinals in the last tournament, the title in Washington, quarterfinals in the United States Open. It turned out to be another Paula Badosa. It seems different and different. “I’m a bit extreme and I think it’s been noticeable here a bit; but it’s been a very good change. I’m very happy, I think I also have a great team that helps me daily to improve, to progress and I think that the all the hard work was seen on the track and in the results.

The key is a change in mindset “to being able to overcome those obstacles. I fell into, let’s say, a very dark hole, especially in Madrid, in the middle of the year, where I couldn’t see the light,” Badosa added. “At that moment I was struggling and I think I got a lot strength from there. Sounds like a plan, let’s start from the beginning. I always have confidence in myselfI believed in myself, but obviously in these moments you doubt more, more insecurities come to you. It is said that from a bad moment or when you are in a bad moment you come out stronger; Well, in my case it literally turned out that way. I guess my personality is a bit like that too. “I never stopped fighting and believing and I think that’s what allowed me to move forward.”

In these latter tournaments he was able to beat players at the top of the rankings and lost narrowly and in three sets with other top players. We once again saw a Paula Badosa who reminded us of many players who reached number two in the world. “Since I started the year in January I said that I want to be one of the best in the world again. It was something that was very clear to me and I practiced it every day and here I am again. So I will start the year with that idea as well. The positive thing about having done poorly this year is that next year I don’t have much to defend and I hope to go even higher and be even more among the best in the world, which is ultimately what I want. “I want to play in the final rounds, I want to measure myself against the best in the world and see where my level is.”

But before thinking about the next season there is the big event of the Billie Jean King Cup Last year Paula was in Seville with the team, although she did not play, it is not the same situation. He is now the leader of the group. “I want to be a leader and move the team forward. I’m going to try to give as much as possible, give the highest level so the team can move forward.. It will be a wonderful experience. I have never played in the Billie Jean King Cup at home. Last year I couldn’t. And it was something that was left with me there, a thorn that stuck with me; and more than that I have the opportunity to measure myself against one of the best in the world, Iga Swiatek and honestly I’m looking forward to playing that match“, explained the Spanish tennis player with confidence.

That challenge did not scare him, “In fact, it motivates me, I like that kind of pressure, I like that responsibility. It is something that I am already psyched about and waiting for the moment to come,” she adds. Iga Swiatek’s last-minute decision to attend the Billie Jean King Cup “surprised me,” says Paula, “because at first she was not registered, but it’s not surprising either. He is a player who always wants to represent his country. Obviously, if he goes, Poland has a good chance to do well. And this is something that is also normal as your professional goal. Going there to try to win the Billie Jean King Cup is your challenge. So I understand that because the same thing happens to me; It’s something that’s a goal, I’m very excited.”

For the Spanish number one, Spain has a chance to overtake Poland. “Our team has always been good. And what Spain has is that it will always fight and give one hundred percent and I think that is something very important in a team competition. So, knowing that there is a good level, there is a good doubles with Sara and Cristina also, you never know and even more so with this format.”

Malaga will be a party; the Billie Jean King Cup, the Davis Cup, and Rafael Nadal’s farewell. Everything will be focused on Malaga, Spain for those fifteen days. “It’s going to be something very beautiful, very emotional, obviously sad at the same time because a legend like Rafa Nadal is leaving.“But I think he picked a really good place, at home, and I think it’s going to be something very emotional.”