Great Britain are through to the Billie Jean King Cup finals thanks to an impressive victory against Australia in Melbourne.
The team got off to a dream start to the qualifiers on Friday as 17-year-old Mika Stojsavljevic marked her debut by beating Talia Gibson 7-6 (4) 7-5.
Harriet Dart fought back against Kimberly Birrell to win 4-6 6-3 6-3 later that day at John Cain Arena, before then helping Britain take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the doubles on Saturday.
Dart and Jodie Burrage ran out 6-3 6-4 victors against Storm Hunter and Ellen Perez, securing the Brits’ place in September’s finals.
“It’s pretty crazy, we played pretty well actually didn’t we,” said Dart. “It’s such an honour to represent GB and to make the finals as well is kind of surreal.”
Emerson Jones overcame Katie Swan 7-5 6-3 as Australia recorded a consolation win in game four.
The Billie Jean King Cup finals start in Shenzhen on September 21, with the Brits joined by seven other nations in China.
Great Britain captain Anne Keothavong said: “We’re all just overjoyed. Look, it’s been an unbelievable week here in Melbourne, and the tennis that was played yesterday and today was just fantastic. I couldn’t really ask anything more of my team. I’m so proud of them.”
Keothavong has skippered the side since 2016 and believes Great Britain are “due something special” having reached the semi-finals last year.
Asked if they could win the Billie Jean King Cup, the captain said: “I bloody hope so. Look, that’s always the ultimate goal, and I know we’ve got players and a strength in depth, you know, in the UK to do something special in this competition.
“But I’ve felt that for some time, and sometimes you need a bit of luck for everything to come together.
“But, yeah, absolutely, when we head to the finals, whoever is on my team, we’re there. We’re not there to make up the numbers, that’s for sure.”
