Fed Cup

04/15/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/15/2021 17:43

Radwanska returns for Poland

Urszula Radwanska will make a return to the Polish team for the first time in six years when she takes on Laura Pigossi in the second singles match of the Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas Play-off between Poland and Brazil.

A match-up between Magdalena Frech and Carolina Meligeni will kick off proceedings at 2pm local time at the Na Skarpie Hall on Friday, but all eyes will be on the return of the younger Radwanska sister.

A former top 30 player, Radwanska has been hindered by a string of injuries and has seen her ranking plummet in recent years, but 2021 has been a welcome return to form for the 30-year-old.

She has already picked up one title on the ITF World Tennis Tour at W25 Moscow and finished runner-up in W25 Kazan. She enters the tie with a ranking of No. 227.

'For sure it is a big challenge but we're really excited,' said Poland's captain Dawid Celt. 'We have worked hard for the last couple of years and now we get the chance to show it on the court. We will not be in our optimal squad, with Iga Świątek and Magda Linette missing, but I believe in this team, they are great players and have achieved some amazing results in the last months. The pressure is on us, we play at home, everybody expects us to win. I hope that we can do it.'

On Saturday, Frech will take on Pigossi and Radwanska and Meligeni are scheduled to do battle in the reverse singles before the doubles.

If a fifth, decisive match, is needed, Weronika Falkowska and Paula Kania-Chodun will come up against Gabriela Ce and Luisa Stefani.

'Poland is the favourite for this tie because it takes place here and it is a very strong team,' said Brazil captain Roberta Burzagli. 'But we will try to win this tough tie, because we aim to come back to the elite of Billie Jean King Cup. It will not be easy, but we believe in success.'

The winner of the tie, which takes place in Bytom, will advance to next-year's Qualifiers to fight for a place in the Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas Finals.

It will be the second time that these two teams have faced each other. The first tie, in Tokyo in 1989, Brazil won 2-0. Both teams are fighting to get back to the Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas elite.

Poland have won five ties in a row, against Denmark, Slovenia, Ukraine, Turkey and Sweden in Group I. They lost a tie for the last time in February of 2019 against Russia.