Led by world No.2 Iga Swiatek, Poland beat Spain 2-0 in the first round of the BJK Cup finals in Malaga on Friday, a victory that will take them into Saturday’s quarter-finals against the Czech Republic. After four defeats in 2022 and 2023, “we’ve finally won a BJK Cup finals match, it’s a huge step”.savored Swiatek after her decisive victory over Paula Badosa (12th).

Dawid Celt’s team, in search of a first title in this national team competition, the ex-Fed Cup, won both their singles matches against the host country, sparing themselves a decisive doubles match. Tightly contested, the first match of the day was won by Poland’s Magda Linette (38th) after a marathon match against Sara Sorribes Tormo (106th), 7-6 (8/6), 2-6, 6-4. The match between the two players lasted 3 hours 51 minutes, just nine minutes less than the longest match in the competition’s history.

“The first match was epic”commented Dawid Celt. “But Magda won the match, that’s the most important thing.”judged the Polish captain. Iga Swiatek’s victory over her friend Paula Badosa was also slow in coming. The Spaniard was the first to get a break point when leading 3-2 in the opening set, but Swiatek brushed it aside and then took her opponent’s serve in the next game to win the set 6-3. The world No.2 quickly pulled away at 3-0 in the second set, but Badosa managed to claw her way back at 3-3. The tug-of-war continued until the tie-break, won 7-5 by Badosa.

In the third set, Swiatek took off from the moment she broke (2-1) and then held her set (3-1), the Polish player concluding the match 6-1 to seal her team’s qualification. “It was super intense”, Swiatek recounted. “At first I felt like I was playing my best game since my return.” on the courts at the beginning of November, after a two-month break. “In the tie-break” of the second set, “I made some small mistakes. But I knew I could regain the lead in the third set.”she assured us. In the evening, Germany and Great Britain will battle it out for a place in the quarter-finals. On Sunday, the winners will face defending champions Canada for a place in the last four.