In the preamble to this Billie Jean King Cup, it was said that Spain misses those times when Arantxa Sánchez Vicario and Conchita Martínez pulled the car and guided it to victory. We look nostalgically towards that recent past and now, with the team’s fate resolved in this latest edition, even more so. The longing grows. Bingo has been resisting for 26 years, given that Canada certified this Thursday the elimination of the Spanish in the series against Poland, so that Friday’s fight against the Central Europeans (not before 4:00 p.m., Teledeporte and RTVE Play ) becomes an uncomfortable procedure. Anabel Medina’s players will take to the La Cartuja court knowing that they no longer have any option and the host will not appear on the semifinals poster this Saturday.
This early and cold goodbye hurts, in substance and form. Spain, which had not hosted the epilogue of the competition since 2008, was not able to win a set in Wednesday’s fight with the Canadians and was left in a terminal situation, with only the last point remaining. The miracle that, frankly, was not expected either. After an unpleasant journey through the desert to return to the World Group in 2019, the three subsequent interventions – the 2020 edition was canceled due to the coronavirus – raise questions and highlight an obvious deficit. Spanish women’s tennis today enjoys good health and a creditable middle class, but it demands references. No matter how much quality they possess, neither Garbiñe Muguruza nor Paula Badosa have ever achieved it, or at least not to a sufficient level.
The first, the undisputed standard of the most modern era, barely played six series – balance of 10-4, between singles and doubles – and her contribution helped to get out of the mud, but nothing further. The second, on her part, does not find correspondence with her will. Despite forcing herself to be present at this event, she did not participate in the opening of the competition against Canada – “not being ready yet”, in the words of the captain” – and last year she made a mistake when she had the opportunity to seal the pass to the semi-finals against Great Britain, in Glasgow. The Catalan – two series, 2-1 balance – lost that untimely night against Harriet Dart, a semi-unknown who at that time was ranked 98th in the world. The contribution of both has been, therefore, rather discreet.
The records of the two contrast with those of immense references such as Sánchez Vicario (58 qualifying rounds, 72 wins and 28 losses) or Conchita Martínez (53/68-23), and even those of second-line representatives such as Carmen Perea (29/ 19-24) and Virginia Ruano (29/15-17), or praetorians like Anabel Medina herself (21/18-16), Carla Suárez (17/19-12), Nuria Llagostera (16/13-10) or Magüi Serna (10/13-10).
The current coach, in office since October 2017, has been testing different profiles and has revitalized a weak team, but has not found the necessary turn of the screw for Spain to be truly competitive in the final phases. The progressive disappearance of Muguruza from the roster – she last competed four years ago – and Badosa’s physical setbacks – the latter and the one in 2021, when she reached the final stretch of the season and prioritized the Masters Cup – have diminished the possibilities considerably. The weight has fallen on the secondary teams (Párrizas, Bolsova, Arruabarrena…), who have shown commitment and appetite, but not enough strength to refute other powers face to face.
On this occasion, Sorribes (50th in the world) has served as the first card, but in a circumstantial present. “I see it as anecdotal,” the Valencian acknowledged in September, when she became the first Spanish asset. “That’s tennis,” she lamented on Wednesday, when Canada had already finished 3-0. “Sport is sometimes like that, a little cruel,” said Medina, aware that her team had the noose around its neck and resigned to the countdown. The farewell to Spain was confirmed this Thursday, and the management and technical team is beginning to reformulate it. The base is good and on the circuit – four representatives among the top-50 and the top-100– They are leaving traces, but there is no muscle. Young people like Marina Bassols (110th) or Jessica Bouzas (152nd) join in, but success in a tournament of these characteristics requires a qualitative leap that, after more than a quarter of a century, is long overdue.
ALCARAZ WILL SHARE A GROUP IN TURIN WITH MEDVEDEV, RUBLEV AND ZVREV
A.C.
Carlos Alcaraz traveled to Turin on Wednesday to address the Masters Cup, which will bring together the eight best of the season from the 12th to the 19th of this month. The 20-year-old from Murcia had been exercising the previous few days at the Juan Carlos Ferrero academy in Villena (Alicante) and later traveled to Italy to reconnoiter the track on which he will seek the master’s title.
This Thursday, the tournament organization carried out the draw and the El Palmar tennis player already knows who his rivals will be in the group stage and when he will debut. Starting Monday he will face the Russians Daniil Medvedev (three in the world) and Andrei Rublev (five), and the German Alexander Zverev (eight); Both the first (2020) and the third (2018 and 2021) have already managed to conquer the scepter of the masters.
In the other block, Novak Djokovic, defending champion and current number one, will face the local Jannik Sinner, the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas and the Danish Holger Rune from Sunday. In the doubles category, the Catalan Marcel Granollers will compete alongside Horacio Zeballos.
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