Watch: Elena Rybakina-Paula Badosa train together ahead of Billie Jean King Cup 2025 finals

Paula Badosa will return into action first time since her Wimbledon first round loss.

Kazakhstan will face the United States in the Billie Jean Cup 2025 quarter-finals on September 18, and their top star Elena Rybakina has already started preparations.

The WTA World No. 10 has been practicing in Shenzhen with none other than Paula Badosa, who will lead Spain against Ukraine on Wednesday.

Fans were delighted to see Rybakina and Badosa back on court together, sharing practice sessions and bringing extra buzz ahead of their teams’ respective ties.

“Love seeing this duo back together on court”, said one of the fans on the video. Rybakina and Badosa have faced each other several times in their tennis career so far. Their rivalry is close, with the Kazakh leading their head-to-head record 4-3 at the moment.

Badosa is currently ranked World No. 20, and she will speerhead the Spanish squad that includes Jessica Bouzas Maneiro and Cristina Bucsa.

The Spaniard missed out the final Grand Slam of the season US Open 2025 due to back injury, the same setback that kept her off the courts since Wimbledon.

Badosa’s last match was in the first round at Wimbledon where she suffered a 2-6, 6-3, 4-6 defeat to Katie Boulter.

Also Read: Billie Jean King Cup: Full list of title winners

Meanwhile, ahead of her return into action at the Billie Jean King Cup, she opened up about her struggles with injuries and her determination to bounce back.

“It’s been a tough year with injuries, but I’m recovering well and feeling motivated. Mentally, it’s very difficult because you lose confidence in your body. But I’ve been through this before, and I’m ready to fight again,” Badosa said, as quoted by Tennis UpToDate.

“The key is building a strong team atmosphere, and that’s already happening. The level has been very high in recent months, and I have a lot of faith in my teammates,” she added.

Billie Jean Cup 2025 quarter-final Line-up

• Italy vs China
• Spain vs Ukraine
• Kazakhstan vs USA
• Great Britain vs Japan

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