Malaga | BJK Cup Finals venue avoids flooding as Raducanu turns 22

Following the appalling climate that hit the south of Spain on Wednesday, inflicting flooding within the Malaga area, the ITF confirmed that Thursday’s Billie Jean King Cup Finals matches — Japan v Romania and Slovakia v america — would go forward because the purple alert was set to be lifted at 8am native time.

I’m glad that I could be a part of the workforce once more, as a result of I all the time needed that yearly, however with the scheduling, it was fairly tough and, form of, unattainable to make it work. I’m simply glad to be right here, and, hopefully, I can play some strong matches right here, and keep so long as potential along with the workforce. Iga Świątek

Whereas the realm outdoors of the Martín Carpena Enviornment was coated in ankle-deep water, the precise taking part in floor inside was unaffected.

The worst of the flooding occurred within the metropolis centre, about 3½ miles from the event venue, and though there was some concern concerning the top of the Guadalmedina River, which flows via town and is often dry for a lot of the 12 months, the water had receded by sundown.

Crew GB are staying in a resort about 6 miles outdoors town centre, which prevented any flooding however left gamers and workers having to maintain themselves occupied with indoor actions within the workforce room whereas celebrating Emma Raducanu’s twenty second birthday.

“Thanks for making my birthday nearly as good as it may be inside on this climate,” Raducanu wrote on social media whereas displaying a video clip of her unwrapping a present.

GB Captain Anne Keothavong advised BBC Radio 5 Dwell: “We’ve all wished Emma a cheerful birthday. The balloons have come out, there’s bunting within the workforce room, and we’ve tried to maintain everyone’s spirits as excessive as potential.

“We now have joked that she will not be going to overlook her twenty second birthday any time quickly. I’m unsure she anticipated to be caught within the resort all day.”

With coaching cancelled for the day, the workforce have had time to organize forward of going through Germany at 5pm on Friday, getting in 3 apply periods on Tuesday.

© Angel Martinez/Getty Photographs for ITF

Wednesday night’s opening tie between hosts Spain and Poland was postponed till Friday morning and can begin at 10am.

World No 2 Iga Swiatek has been paying tribute to Paula Badosa forward of the tie, and, as each are the No 1 gamers for his or her respective nations, their assembly may show key in deciding which nation advances to a quarter-final assembly with Czechia.

Badosa can have house crowd help when she faces the 5-time main champion, and heads into this encounter after a massively profitable summer season, returning to the High 15 of the WTA Rankings, because of outcomes together with a 4th WTA title in Washington and a US Open quarter-final look simply months after falling out of the High 100.

The Spaniard has struggled with a severe again difficulty lately and, whereas not phased by having the group in opposition to her, Swiatek is aware of she is going to must be at her greatest in opposition to her resurgent rival.

“It’s not the primary time I’m taking part in someone who’s going to have the entire viewers behind them,” mentioned Swiatek on Tuesday. “It’s not going to be straightforward and I’ll want an additional focus.

“I’m going to deal with my tennis first, as a result of taking part in in opposition to Paula is all the time a problem. I’ll put together tactically as a result of we haven’t performed shortly.

“I used to be truly her journey and I used to be, form of, apprehensive if she was going to have the ability to come again, as a result of clearly her accidents weren’t straightforward and easy, and generally she tried, but it surely wasn’t working.

“So truthfully, I used to be tremendous glad to see her again taking part in her tennis in these tournaments, on the US Open, and loads of others. She’s a very, very nice particular person, and I felt like she’s actually pushing to be again.

“Anyone who has this sort of grit and dedication, , deserves to be there. Hopefully, she’s going to proceed that, however we’ll see this week. I’m most likely going to deal with myself, and hopefully she’s not going to play that nicely – we’ll see.”

Swiatek was a late addition to the Poland squad, solely asserting final month that she can be taking part in within the Finals, having skipped the competitors 12 months in the past.

“I’m glad that I could be a part of the workforce once more, as a result of I all the time needed that yearly, however with the scheduling, it was fairly tough and, form of, unattainable to make it work,” she added. “I’m simply glad to be right here, and, hopefully, I can play some strong matches right here, and keep so long as potential along with the workforce.”

Competitors for the Billie Jean King Cup trophy begins on Thursday, at some point late resulting from heavy rain and flooding within the Malaga area

© Fran Santiago/Getty Photographs for ITF

In the meantime, it’s right down to Japan and Romania to kick off the 2024 Billie Jean King Cup by Gainbridge Finals play on Thursday, in a primary assembly between the two nations, and the winners will earn a quarter-final berth in opposition to final 12 months’s runners-up, Italy.

The second tie of the day sees Slovakia tackle USA, with the winners set to contest a Final 8 tie in opposition to Australia.

Slovakia received the one earlier assembly between the two nations, however USA will fancy their probabilities of a win as they intention for a nineteenth Billie Jean King Cup title.

Emma Raducanu celebrated her twenty second birthday with Crew GB at their resort outdoors of Malaga on Wednesday

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