Katie Boulter and Emma Raducanu have both been named in the British team for November’s Billie Jean King Cup Finals. Harriet Dart, Heather Watson and doubles specialist Olivia Nicholls complete the five-woman team for the competition in Malaga from 13-20 November. GB qualified for the knockout stage courtesy of an unlikely win over France on an indoor clay court in Le Portel in April.
Raducanu – in just her second appearance for her country – levelled the tie by fighting back to beat Caroline Garcia on the opening day. After Boulter had beaten Clara Burel in the first Saturday singles match, Raducanu won the tie for GB by beating Diane Parry in a third-set tie-break. The team could look quite different come November, as captain Anne Keothavong can make as many as three changes up until a day before GB’s first-round match against Germany.
Both form and fitness are unpredictable, and Sonay Kartal is one with a chance of pushing herself into the team.
The 22-year-old won her maiden WTA title in Tunisia at the weekend, and has risen more than 200 places in the rankings in just two and a half months to become the fourth British player in the WTA top 100. If GB are able to beat Germany, they would face defending champions Canada in the quarter-finals.”Our team have created excellent memories over the last couple of years and will relish the opportunity in November,” Keothavong said.
