Badosa Overcomes Cramps To Keep Spain Alive

Paula Badosa engineered a remarkable comeback to defeat Harriet Dart 6-7(6), 7-6(5), 6-1 to earn Spain’s first match-win at the United Cup. Playing her first match of the season, Badosa fought off leg cramps to reel in Dart and keep Spain in the tie on Sunday in Sydney.

Great Britain now leads Spain 2-1. The task now falls to Daniel Evans to try and clinch the win and seal a spot at the top of the Group D table. Evans will face Albert Ramos Vinolas in the second men’s singles match.

“I don’t know what happened at the second set, I started a little bit to cramp,” Badosa said. “It was high intensity, first match of the year, I was nervous. But I could adapt myself. I started to play a little bit more aggressive. I’m very happy with the fight tonight because I played and fought until the last moment.”

Badosa went into the match looking for her first win over Dart. The 98th-ranked Brit handed Badosa her last loss of the 2022 season at the Billie Jean King Cup, winning 6-3, 6-4 in November. As luck would have it, Badosa drew Dart again for her first match of the 2023 season. After Great Britain swept Spain on Day 3 to build a 2-0 lead, Badosa was faced with the added pressure of winning a must-win match for Spain.

Dart came through a 77-minute opening set to hold off a furious comeback from the Spaniard, saving two set points along the way. With Badosa struggling with her rhythm on serve, Dart opened up a 5-2 lead before the former World No. 2 dialed in. Badosa ran off four consecutive games and earned two set points on Dart’s serve at 6-5, but a brave cross-court forehand from Dart kept her in the set.

But the grueling first set and humid conditions took its toll on Badosa in the second set. After building a 3-1 lead, she began to cramp in her legs. Dart took advantage, clawing her way back on serve before Badosa began to rebound physically.

With the help of some pickle juice provided by the trainer, Badosa began to recover and her serving woes dissipated. Badosa powered through the second-set tiebreak, building a 5-0 lead and holding off a comeback from Dart to seal set with a roar.

With the momentum firmly on her side, Badosa dominated the final set, saving her best tennis for last. Badosa hit just three unforced errors in the final set, playing at the level that won her the Sydney title on this very court, to race away with the win after 3 hours and four minutes of play.