Poland heads into its first-round clash with host Spain at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals buoyed by the presence of Iga Swiatek and dreaming of a first-ever title in the team event.
The Poles have finished bottom of their group in each of the past two years without five-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek, but she will be making her debut in the revamped knockout tournament.
Swiatek has struggled for her best form since winning her fourth French Open title earlier this year, failing to reach a final.
Her WTA Finals title defence ended in the group stage last week despite winning two of her three round-robin matches and she arrives in Malaga relatively fresh after missing several competitions in recent months.
“I’m happy that I can be part of the team again, because I always wanted that every year, but with the scheduling, it was pretty tricky and kind of impossible to make it work,” world number two Swiatek told a press conference.
“I’m just happy to be here, and hopefully I can play some solid matches here and stay as long as possible together with the team,” she added.
Poland, who also have Magdalena Frech and Magda Linette in its squad, has comfortably the highest average ranking for its top three players of any team in the tournament.
The only other top-10 player scheduled to feature is Italy’s world number four Jasmine Paolini.
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Poland face a tricky opening tie, though, against Spain, with Swiatek set to face former world number two Paula Badosa.
Spain beat an understrength Poland in a dead rubber in last year’s group stage, after both teams lost to eventual champion Canada.
“I believe we’re going to get revenge because last year was a tough one, but this year it’s going to be a different match, different teams. That’s what I said, I believe we’re gonna win the last point,” said Polish captain Dawid Celt.
The winners of Wednesday’s tie will face 11-time champion the Czech Republic in the quarter-finals.
Canada eyeing unlikely double
Reigning champion Canada has a first-round bye and will face either Germany or Britain in the last eight.
However, world number 31 Leylah Fernandez is its only player ranked in the top 100.
Record 18-time champion, the United States is without its top three players, Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula and Emma Navarro, with Danielle Collins set to lead the side in its first-round tie against Slovakia on Thursday.
The winner will face Australia.
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Japan will make its debut in the Finals after winning six straight ties last year and then defeating Kazakhstan in a play-off in April.
Naomi Osaka played in that clash in Tokyo but is absent in Spain, with Moyuka Uchijima their highest-ranked singles player, although they do boast three top-50 doubles players.
“Two years ago we start from the Asia Oceania regional event and we won five matches there, and also playoff,” said captain Ai Sugiyama of her team’s long journey.
“Naomi got injured, she really wanted to be here, but unfortunately she couldn’t be ready for this BJK Finals. But we have a great team spirit,” she added.
Japan takes on Romania on Thursday for the right to face Italy in the quarters.
Content Source: sportstar.thehindu.com