Paula Badosa is all smiles as she readies herself for a long-awaited comeback at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Shenzhen, China. After spending the past two months sidelined with a lingering back injury, the Spanish star has returned to training and expressed her excitement ahead of Spain’s campaign.
What Challenges Has Paula Badosa Faced Ahead of Her Return?
The 27-year-old has not played a competitive match since late June at Wimbledon, where she bowed out in the first round against Britain’s Katie Boulter. The setback forced her to miss the entire North American hardcourt stretch, including the US Open, one of the biggest stages of the year.
Her absence was a major blow not only for her individual campaign but also for Spain’s hopes in international competition. That is why her return this week instantly raises optimism, as Spain prepares to challenge some of the world’s best under the guidance of team captain Carla Suárez Navarro.
Boulter’s beaming on Centre Court 🇬🇧
The British No.2 takes down the No.9 seed, Paula Badosa, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/gQn78nUI5q
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 30, 2025
Badosa will headline Spain’s squad alongside Jéssica Bouzas Maneiro, Cristina Bucșa, Leyre Romero Gormaz, and Aliona Bolsova. The opening test will be a formidable one against Ukraine, a team anchored by Elina Svitolina and Marta Kostyuk.
For Spain, Badosa arrives as the highest-ranked player at World No. 20, making her the team’s central figure in the quest for victory. As she fine-tunes her preparations in China, Badosa gave fans a glimpse of her excitement through Instagram. Posting on her stories, she shared snaps of herself in training, her bright smile, and even a mirror selfie showing off Spain’s official team outfit.
She paired the images with playful captions, including “We Back,” “And someone is happy about it,” and “Different outfit this week.”
MORE: Paula Badosa Trains Ahead of Tennis Return at Billie Jean King Cup Finals
The Spain-Ukraine matchup will open with Maneiro facing Kostyuk in singles, followed by a showdown between Badosa and Svitolina. The tie will conclude with a doubles battle featuring Aliona Bolsova and Bucșa against the Kichenok twins, Lyudmyla and Nadiia. The victor will advance to the semifinals, where either top-seeded Italy or host nation China awaits.
