"Thank god I prefer live" said Stefanos Tsitsipas after Wimbledon mixed doubles withdrawal, but World Tennis League heralds Tsitsidosa debut

Stefanos Tsitsipas after being forced to withdraw from the Wimbledon mixed doubles said 'thank god, I prefer to live' famously, but that day will soon come in exhibition action in the coming weeks.

Tsitsipas who said recently that he was struggling to get out of bed after his painful injury at the ATP Finals will play at the World Tennis League with his girlfriend, Paula Badosa. The second edition of the mixed-gender tennis tournament exhibition will act as a pre-season warm-up for both, with both having injury issues as of late.

The tournament will be played across four days beginning December 21st until Christmas Eve. There are 16 players in the competition over four teams, each consisting of four players. Tsitsipas and Badosa will be together in Team Kites, which also includes the latter's best friend, Aryna Sabalenka who she was recently reunited with in Dubai.

Grigor Dimitrov also makes part of the team, with Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina also among the main WTA contingent involved over the Christmas period. Badosa like Tsitsipas has struggled as of late with a spine injury putting her out of Roland Garros and then a premature Wimbledon. She didn't play for the rest of the season, with the Billie Jean King Cup Finals seeing her picked but not playing.

She will be an outside returnee to the tour next season hoping to do damage amid the discourse likely surrounding Naomi Osaka, Angelique Kerber and Emma Raducanu among others and will aim to prepare with some good match practice this month.