Billie Jean King Cup: What is GB's path to the final? Who will Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter play next?
Published 18/11/2024 at 11:52 GMT
Following Sunday's quarter-final victory over defending champions Canada - with Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter securing GB's smooth passage into the last four - belief is high in the camp that Britain could win the Billie Jean King Cup for the first time. They face underdogs Slovakia in Tuesday's semi-final, with dangerous sides Poland or Italy awaiting the winners in the final.
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Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter's victories against Canada on Sunday sent Great Britain into the Billie Jean King Cup semi-finals for the first time since 2022 in Glasgow.
The team is in a strong position to win the competition for the first time, with both singles players producing excellent tennis, the camp full of self-belief, and the Malaga crowd packed with raucous British support.
While GB's male players suffered a disappointing loss on home turf in the Davis Cup group stage in Manchester in September, Britain's women are riding high in the equivalent competition.
Neither Raducanu nor Boulter have dropped a set in their opening two matches, and their dominant singles victories have meant that the doubles players in Anne Keothavong's side have yet to take to the court.
GB were the second-lowest ranked team going into the knockout phase, at 12th in the world, only ahead of Japan.
But some assured performances have put them in a strong position to reach the final, with both players guaranteed to face a lower-ranked player next.
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WHO WILL GB PLAY NEXT?
Having comprehensively defeated defending champions Canada, GB will now face Slovakia, who defeated 2022 runners-up Australia in their quarter-final on Sunday.
That semi-final tie will take place on Tuesday, starting at 11:00 GMT.
Like the previous rounds, it will consist of two singles rubbers and, if the score is level after the first two matches, a deciding doubles rubber to determine who will progress to the final.
If the semi-final goes to doubles, Keothavong's preferred team of Harriet Dart and Heather Watson are likely to get their first minutes of action in Malaga, while doubles specialist Olivia Nicholls is also in the squad.
Slovakia are ranked 10th in the world and have already secured some upsets in the knockout stage, carving this half of the draw wide open. The squad will be riding a wave of confidence having reached the semis for the first time since their overall victory at the tournament back in 2002.
They overcame the United States 2-1 - albeit without facing top two Coco Gauff or Jessica Pegula - with Rebecca Sramkova defeating former top-10 player Danielle Collins in straight sets. From there, they swept past former runners-up Australia, winning both singles matches, with Sramkova again starring, this time against Ajla Tomljanovic in a 6-1 6-2 demolition.
Raducanu has looked sharp in Malaga despite this marking her return from a two-month injury lay-off, and she will hope to get a point on the board early to ease the pressure on Boulter, GB's No. 1.
Raducanu's opponent is likely to be Viktoria Hruncakova, who is ranked 241st in the world but - like Raducanu - is yet to lose a BJK Cup match this year.
Boulter, who is ranked 24th in the world, will then likely face 43rd-ranked Sramkova in her bid to secure a spot in the final.
Slovakia also have Anna Karolina Schmiedlova - who lost the bronze medal match at the Paris Olympics to Iga Swiatek - along with Tereza Mihalikova and Renata Jamrichova in the squad.
WHO WOULD GB PLAY IN THE FINAL?
Should GB get past Slovakia, a sterner test will await in the final.
Last year's runners-up Italy face Poland in the other semi-final on Monday, with both sides high on the list of pre-tournament favourites.
Italy, who have won the tournament four times, are led by world No. 4 Jasmine Paolini, who is in the form of her life having reached two Grand Slam finals this year. World No. 54 Elisabetta Cocciaretto, their first singles player, is another strong opponent, but the side's biggest weapon is arguably their doubles partnership.
Sara Errani and Paolini won doubles Olympic gold in Paris this summer, and Errani is one of just seven women to complete the career Golden Slam in doubles - all four Grand Slam titles plus Olympic glory. If GB face Italy in the final, the pressure will be on to secure the title in the opening two singles matches.
Poland are another fearsome prospect and another squad who could win the BJK Cup for the first time.
Led by none other than World No. 2 and five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek, the squad saw off sixth-ranked Spain 2-0 in their opening round and overcame a tricky Czech side 2-1 in their quarter-final - which involved Swiatek turning her hand to doubles, too.
Poland have strength in depth, able to call on 25th-ranked Magdalena Frech, who won her first WTA title earlier this year, and 38th-ranked Magda Linette.
Whoever wins that heavyweight semi-final will be the favourite to lift the trophy - but GB have shown they have the potential to cause a memorable upset.
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