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

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

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.

“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%.”