Badosa returned in Abu Dhabi with victories, defeats, good feelings and together with Tsitsipas

Aalthough the year 2023 It’s not over yet, you could say that Paula Badosa has already started the 2024 season. It has done so in the World Tennis League de Abu Dabi, a team exhibition that, in a way, is the successor to the classic Mubadala, and in which a good part of the leaders of the men’s and women’s circuits have participated. The Spanish woman has put end to inactivity that started in the tournament Wimbledon. In November he was in the finals of the Billie Jean King Cup, but he didn’t make his debut.

Paula Badosa was part of the Kites team, along with Stefanos TsitsipasGrigor DimitrovAryna Sabalenka y Lloyd Harris. The rest of the teams were the Eagles (Daniil MedvedevAndrei RublevSofia Kenin and Myrrh Andreeva), los Falcons (Taylor FritzSumit NagalElena RybakinaHis voice Cirstea and Vera Zvonareva) y los Hawks (Hubert HurkaczCasper RuudIga Swiatek and Caroline Garca). The teams faced each other in a league format, but each matchup consisted of only one setin singles and men’s and women’s doubles, and mixed doubles), with various tie-breaking procedures.

Badosa played in doubles in the group stage with Sabalenka against Andreeva-Kenin winning 6-3, against Cirstea-Rybakina losing 6-7, against Garca-Swiatek losing 3-6, and in mixed doubles with Tsitsipas against Kenin-Medvedev winning 6-4 and with Harris against Cirstea-Fritz losing 5-7. The Kites played the final against the Hawks, and in it Badosa-Tsitsipas they beat Andreeva-Medvedev 7-6 and Badosa-Sabalenka they fell to Andreeva-Kenin 5-7. The Spanish tennis player’s Kites ended up falling in the final.

In statements to the local media ‘Gulf News’, Paula pointed out that little by little she is “finding herself better“and he is aware that he must”start little by little, without high expectations. My big goal is to be healthy and be able to compete. I feel at 80% of my physical capabilities but a month ago I wasn’t in shape to go out on the track. They have been very hard months but I am enjoying again“. And about his triumphs with Tsitsipas, his romantic partner, he declared that “I think the connection we have makes us win.”