MALAGA, Spain — In a thrilling start to the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, Magda Linette propelled Poland to a 1-0 lead against Spain following a grueling nearly four-hour match against Sara Sorribes on Friday.

Linette triumphed with a final score of 7(8)-6, 2-6, 6-4 after a challenging 3 hours and 51 minutes on the indoor hard courts at the Palacio de Deportes in Malaga.

Despite falling behind 0-3 in the crucial final set, Linette showcased her resilience after Sorribes managed to even the match at one set apiece. The Polish player found her rhythm and ultimately overcame her opponent. Linette significantly outperformed Sorribes in terms of winners, registering 55 compared to Sorribes’ 12, though she also struggled with unforced errors, totaling 79 against Sorribes’ 26.

Looking ahead, World No. 2 Iga Swiatek is set to compete against Paula Badosa in the following singles match. A victory by Badosa is vital for Spain to advance to the doubles stage.

The winning team will proceed to the next round to face off against the Czech Republic.

Additionally, Britain and Germany are scheduled to clash in their opening round later on Friday.

Earlier in the tournament, Slovakia emerged victorious against the United States, while Japan secured a win over Romania.

Originally slated for Wednesday, the match between Spain and Poland was delayed by two days due to severe rainfall in southern Spain, which led to flooding in Malaga. Local authorities are currently on high alert following devastating flash floods that resulted in over 200 fatalities last month.