Spain and Poland Will Take on Canada At the Billie Jean King Cup Finals: Meet the Opposition

Photo: Tyler Anderson/Tennis Canada

Canada’s roster at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals is filled to the brim with talent, but what about their opposition?

At the group stage of the Billie Jean King Cup finals next week, Team Canada will attempt to fend off Spain and Poland.

Though both countries have clashed with Canada before, it has certainly been a while since they last faced each other. In fact, the last time Canada saw both teams, the tournament was still called the Federation Cup.

Spain’s most recent outing against Canada came in 1992, while Poland hasn’t played against Canada since 1980. It’s fair to say that the landscape of tennis in each country has changed significantly since those times.

With the tournament set to begin this week, there’s no better time to learn about Team Canada’s opponents.

Spain

Date: Nov. 8, 2023
Head-to-Head: 2-4
Last Meeting: July 15, 1992

It’s been over 30 years since the last time Canada saw Spain in the Billie Jean King Cup. In fact, in the 1990s, Spain won the tournament five times. Though the country hasn’t replicated its success from that decade, its players should not be taken lightly.

Its highest-ranked player, Sara Sorribes Tormo, has taken home two titles this year, one in singles and the other in doubles. She recently claimed the trophy in doubles at the China Open in October and won the Tennis in the Land singles draw in August.

This year, Sorribes Tormo has played two members of Team Canada: Leylah Annie Fernandez and Eugenie Bouchard. Though she retired in her match against Bouchard, she managed to defeat Fernandez in the W100 in Madrid back in May.

Paula Badosa, who is currently ranked 65, also bested Fernandez this year during the Charleston Open, in the USA, in April. However, the former World No. 2 has not played since retiring in the second round of Wimbledon due to injury.

The only other member of the Spanish team to bring home a title was Marina Bassols Ribera who won the Zavarovalnica Sava Liubliana in Slovenia in singles.

Given the team’s shortcomings against their Spanish opposition in 2023, the Billie Jean King Cup Finals could be the opportune time to exact their revenge.

Poland

Date: Nov. 9, 2023
Head-to-head: 2-0
Last meeting: 1980

The last time Canada faced Poland, none of the two countries’ current players had been born. Given the 42-year gap between their last matchup, both countries will have something to prove. The last time they played each other, Canada won both its matches and will look to replicate their good fortunes more than 40 years later.

Magda Linette, ranked No. 23, represents Poland’s best. Though she didn’t win a tournament this year, she came extremely close during the Guangzhou Open, when she fell in the finals to China’s Xiyu Wang. She also faced Fernandez earlier this year at the French Open but could not best her Canadian opponent. She’ll look to even things up should she get the chance to play against her during the group stage of the Billie Jean King Cup.

Elsewhere on Poland’s squad is Magdalena Frech, who’s fresh off a massive win at the W100 Les Franqueses del Valles in Spain. Though it was her only title of the year, she’ll look to replicate her success and build off the strong moment she gained a few weeks ago. She has yet to face any of the Canadian players so any matchup she’ll be a part of will be a fresh experience.

The remaining two players for Poland, Katarzyna Kawa and Weronika Falkowska, aren’t the highest rated players around but they both have won titles in 2023. Kawa won four doubles titles this year, two of them coming in tandem with Falkowska. Falkowska, on the other hand, won five doubles titles and one singles draw at the W25 Poertschach in Austria in June. Much like Frech, Kawa and Falkowska have yet to play against any of the Canadian players.

Written By

Louis Pavlakos