British No 2 Sonay Kartal has pulled out of the squad for the Billie Jean King Cup qualifying tie against Australia, leaving the team without their top four highest-ranked players.
The tie comes at an awkward point in the season, taking place on hard courts with the European clay-court swing about to get underway.
Britain’s highest-ranked player Emma Raducanu was not included in the initial squad after choosing to focus on her clay-court season, with Katie Boulter and Fran Jones opting out for the same reason.
Kartal, who is ranked 54th in the world, was set to lead the side in Melbourne next week but has had to pull out as she continues to struggle with a back injury.
The 24-year-old was forced to withdraw from her fourth-round encounter with Elena Rybakina at the WTA 1000 tournament in Indian Wells last month due to the issue.
She wrote on Instagram: “I had a feeling something wasn’t right with my back when I arrived in Miami and after having some scans, it’s clear that I’m going to need a little more time to let it heal.
“Sadly it means I won’t be joining the girls in Australia, but wishing them the best of luck for the tie.”
Her exit from the Great Britain squad means world No 181 Harriet Dart is the highest-ranked player in the team, with Katie Swan drafted in as Kartal’s replacement.
Swan became the youngest player to represent GB as a 16-year-old in 2016, when she made her debut against South Africa.
Team captain Anne Keothavong also chose 17-year-old Mika Stojsavljevic, the junior US Open champion in 2024, and Jodie Burrage for the tie.
The qualifier takes place in Melbourne on 10-11 April.
