United Cup Day 4 preview: Badosa, Carreno Busta look to get Spain back on track

3m read 31 Dec 2022 2y ago

Francois Nel/Getty Images

With the unique, all-inclusive format of the United Cup, even a 22-time Grand Slam champion is no guarantee of success for Team Spain.

When Rafael Nadal fell on Saturday to Cameron Norrie 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, and compatriot Nuria Parrizas Diaz lost to Katie Swan, Great Britain took a daunting 2-0 lead. And yet, there are reasons to think this one might not be over. Two reasons: Paula Badosa and Pablo Carreno Busta, who will carry the flag for Spain.

A pair of lucky No.13s in the rankings, Badosa meets Harriet Dart, and Carreno Busta faces Daniel Evans, both of whom will try to get Spain back on track Sunday in Sydney’s Ken Rosewall Arena.

Badosa has more motivation for her first United Cup match than most. Her opponent, Dart, upset her 3-6, 4-6 back in November at the Billie Jean King Cup in Glasgow.

What a way to start the new year 🤩

Just ONE of the scheduled mixed doubles match-ups for tomorrow 🍿 👀

See you there 👋 #UnitedCup pic.twitter.com/vKHdlyC5qo
— United Cup (@UnitedCupTennis) December 31, 2022

“Yeah, I have another opportunity again to play against [Dart,]” Badosa said the other day. “Great Britain is always a tough tie. Yeah, I'm preparing for that match, focus on that. Let's see how it goes.”

Badosa and Carreno Busta are in precisely the same unenviable spot.

Last April, Badosa rose to a career-high No.2. She won Indian Wells in 2021, then reached the quarterfinals at Roland Garros. Carreno Busta has also visited the Top 10 and was the champion in Montreal last year. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (played in 2021), he beat No.1 Novak Djokovic and No.2 Daniil Medvedev on the way to the bronze medal.

Carreno Busta was asked about the quality of Group D, which features Great Britain and the upcoming opponent, Australia.

“Is the first tournament of the year,” he said, “so we need to improve our level. Always is difficult to start the year. We need the rhythm. But we are a very good team. We have Rafa, we have Paula. We are ready to fight for win the group and we see.”

A HUGE welcome from the Sydney crowd to Team Spain 🇪🇸 🗣️#UnitedCup pic.twitter.com/ASVrnpNXoh
— United Cup (@UnitedCupTennis) December 31, 2022

Despite the deficit, he and his team face, Nadal, ranked No.2 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, is enthusiastically embracing the format.

“We are used to play on Davis Cup or Fed Cup,” he said before the tournament. “I mean, is nothing 100 percent new, but at the same time it’s the first time that we share forces between men, women. Different story for us. Going to be exciting.

“I think we can create a good team atmosphere. … We know we have a very tough group.”