World Tennis League: Eagles come back from deficit v Kites, in pole position after doubles

The Eagles came back after a loss in the mixed doubles and are leading ahead of the singles

Mirra Andreeva at the 2023 US Open (Zuma/Panoramic)

December 24, 2023

The Eagles are in prime position for the World Tennis League title after the doubles matches, leading the Kites 19-15 with just the two singles matches to go.

Stefanos Tsitsipas returned to the fray for the Kites after missing Saturday, and paired up with girlfriend Paula Badosa for the mixed doubles to open the day’s action against Daniil Medvedev and Mirra Andreeva. Their service games were a little shaky, offering the Eagles multiple glimmers of a break opportunity, but they managed to regroup, despite lengthy rallies, a brilliant leaping backhand smash from Medvedev, and Andreeva’s deftness of touch at the net, which brought the first match point. The Kites saved three match points before the tiebreak – and when they got their own first match point, they did not fail to capitalise, winning 7-6.

Badosa then paired up with world No 2 Aryna Sabalenka – a former Grand Slam champion and top-ranked player in doubles – and they dominated the early part of the match against Andreeva and Sofia Kenin. They thought they had won the match at 6-2, but a seemingly optimistic challenge from the Eagles was justified, allowing them to recover and take the game, following that with a break of serve to 5-4, and a love hold to level up at 5-5. A double fault from Sabalenka handed the Eagles the lead at 6-5, and Andreeva served spectacularly to take an amazing comeback win 7-5.

“We just tried to play one game at a time,” said Andreeva afterwards. “I think we are happy!”

And Medvedev and Andrey Rublev finished it off 6-3 over Lloyd Harris and Grigor Dimitrov, meaning the Eagles won 11 of the last 14 games ahead of the singles encounters.