Carlos Alcaraz and Paula Badosa first confirmed for 2024 Hopman Cup after nearly teaming in 2023 edition

The Hopman Cup has confirmed Carlos Alcaraz and Paula Badosa as the duo representing Spain. This team competition brings together male and female tennis players in pairs representing their countries.

The Hopman Cup returned in 2023 after a three-year suspension, and the Croatian duo of Donna Vekic and Borna Coric emerged as the champions against the Swiss pair Celine Naef and Leandro Riedi. In the previous edition, the Spanish team, represented by then-world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and the young Rebeka Masarova, competed but lost both series in the group stage, leading to their elimination.

This year, Alcaraz will participate again, teaming up with a new partner, former world No. 2 Paula Badosa, who will make her debut in the tournament. The 26-year-old athlete had a challenging 2023 dealing with injuries throughout the year.

Badosa missed several tournaments, including the Australian Open, Roland Garros, US Open, Miami Open, and Cincinnati, among others, which resulted in her finishing the year as the world No. 65. Her last match was in the second round of Wimbledon, where she retired while playing against Marta Kostyuk (2-6, 0-1).

In the case of Alcaraz, he concluded his 2023 season as the world No. 2, securing his second Grand Slam title at SW19. 'Carlitos' fell in the semifinals of the ATP Finals and considered his season closed since Spain did not qualify for the Davis Cup Finals, which conclude the season this week.

The tournament format includes six teams divided into two groups of three countries each. Each series features men's and women's singles, with a mixed doubles match if necessary. Since 2023, the Hopman Cup has replaced the ATP Cup held at the beginning of the year. Although there is no definitive date for the tournament, it is likely to take place in July, as it did last year, following the grass-court season.