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Resurgent Anett Kontaveit fields charming Oeiras wild card request at Billie Jean King Cup

The former world No. 2 is looking to rebuild her ranking from a back injury with plans to play the major tournaments leading up to Roland Garros.

by_tagDavid Kane

published_tag Apr 12, 2023

WATCH: Kontaveit was last on court in Abu Dhabi, where she endured a defeat to Shelby Rogers.

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Anett Kontaveit is in good spirits as she eases back into the tennis world after dealing with a back injury for much of the 2023 season. The former world No. 2 is playing her first matches at Billie Jean King Cup after skipping both Indian Wells and Miami, and with an intense clay-court calendar planned, the Portuguese journalists in Oeiras couldn’t help but shoot their shot after she earned a second win of the week.

“In case you change your mind,” joked Steve Grácio when Kontaveit outlined plans to play Madrid, Rome, and Roland Garros, “We have a 100K right here in Oeiras, and we have a few wild cards left!”

Kontaveit, who is playing in Portugal for the first time on the pro level, gave a polite decline to the request but is enjoying her time in the city.

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“I love the weather. The club is really beautiful. It’s so busy here with the matches and you’ve got to play every day, but hopefully after the tournament I’ll have a bit more time to look around and see some stuff.”

A runner-up at the 2021 WTA Finals, Kontaveit is yet to drop a set at Billie Jean King Cup—though she is playing decidedly lower-ranked opposition in Group II’s Zonal ties—and is pleased with the results of her “test run.”

“I thought it was the perfect way to have my first few matches. I love a team vibe and I always love representing Estonia at these tournaments.

“I’ve had a few health issues,” she added, having suffered from COVID-19 in addition to the lingering back injury, “So it’s been a bit of a struggle for the last year or so. The main goal is to be healthy. I dropped down in the rankings, but I think that if my level is there, I know that if my level is there, I have a chance against every player in the world. I really do believe in myself, gamewise. The main thing is I’m able to compete 100%.”