Tennis - WTA Finals - King Saud University Indoor Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - November 7, 2024 Poland's Iga Swiatek leaves the court aftre winning her women's singles group stage match against Russia's Daria Kasatkina REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel/File Photo
(Reuters) - Hosts Spain must overcome an Iga Swiatek-powered Poland side if they are to avoid an early exit from the Billie Jean King Cup Finals which begin in Malaga on Wednesday.
Twelve teams have assembled in Andalusia to battle for the title won last year for the first time by Canada.
A change to the format means there is no room for error this time with a straight knockout replacing the group phase followed by semi-finals and final that was used a year ago.
Four nations -- champions Canada, runners-up Italy, Australia and the Czech Republic -- have received byes to the last eight but Spain will have to go the long way round if they are to be crowned champions on Nov. 20.
Spain will be boosted by the availability of former world number two Paula Badosa who has defied a potentially career-ending back injury to end the year just outside the top 10.
"This year I have the opportunity to play in front of my people, it's really special," Badosa, who has not played in the competition since 2022, said.
"We have a very big challenge at the beginning. I like these kinds of challenges, so I'm really looking forward to it."
SUPPORT NEEDED
Badosa will need all the support she can get inside the Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena Arena as she will be up against five-times Grand Slam champion Swiatek in one of two singles rubbers, followed by a doubles if required.
Swiatek failed to reach the semi-finals at the WTA Finals last week and is no longer the world number one but will be a formidable obstacle for the Spanish team.
"It's not the first time I'm playing somebody who is going to have the whole audience behind them," she said.
"Playing against Paula is always a challenge. I'll prepare tactically because we haven't played in a while."
On paper Poland look favourites as apart from 12th-ranked Badosa they also have Magdalena Frech (25th) Magda Linette (38th), while Spain's second-best singles player according to rankings is 22-year-old Jessica Bouzas Maneiro (55th).
The winners of the tie will face a Czech Republic side without the injured Karolina Muchova on Saturday.
LEADER COLLINS
In the other first-round ties, the United States face Slovakia on Thursday when Japan are up against Romania.
Britain face Germany on Friday.
The United States will be without WTA Finals champion Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula but in Danielle Collins they have a formidable leader of the team.
Britain will be boosted by the inclusion of former U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu in their team after she recovered from a foot injury that has sidelined her since September.
The winners of that tie take on holders Canada.
Malaga is geared up for a feast of tennis over the next fortnight with the men's Davis Cup Final Eight taking place immediately afterwards in the same venue.
The winning nations for the BJK Cup and Davis Cup will receive $2.4 million each.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Ken Ferris)
