Categories: Editor Picks

GB off to a Boulter in Fed Cup

British team win as Aussies and Americans prepare for cup battle

Katie Boulter and Johanna Konta found form to help Great Britain see off Slovenia in their first home Fed Cup tie since 1993 as Australia prepared for their own battle, against the USA in North Carolina this weekend.

Boulter, playing her first Fed Cup singles match, beat Kaja Juvan 6-4 6-2 in the opening match and then British No.1 Konta saw off Dalila Jakupovic 7-6 (9-7) 6-2 to win the tie.

 

Harriet Dart and Katie Swan were then able to enjoy the pressure-free doubles rubber, knowing the result did not matter.

Across the Atlantic, the US will rely on a youth-based squad of Madison Keys, Danielle Collins, Sonya Kenin and Nicole Melichar in their clash with the Aussies.
No Serena or Venus Williams for this tie.

Ash Barty will be a threat to the Americans. Photo: Andy Chung arckimages.com

The Australians are also pretty young, with the oldest member 24-year-old world No.47 Daria Gavrilova.

“They’re a very tough team,” US team captain Kathy Rinaldi said.

“They have Ash Barty, who is one of the top singles and doubles players in the world.”

Rinaldi and Australian skipper Alicia Molik will announce their singles and doubles players on Friday for the tie in Asheville.

Both teams are on highs with players coming off a successful Australian Open series.

Johanna Konta Great Britain at the 2019 Australian Open Tennis Championship .Photo: Andy Cheung/ArcK Images

Open semi-finalist Danielle Collins, Sonya Kenin and doubles specialist Nicole Melichar.

For Australia, Barty is the big gun, currently ranked No.13 in the world in singles and ranked sixth in doubles.

Kim Birrell reached the third round of the Australian Open and Astra Sharma made the second round, so neither will be easy-beats.

“Confidence is something that I don’t think you can buy,” a smiling Molik said. “Our players have earned it.”

Back in Britain, Boulter said she was pleased to get an early win on the board.

“I was a little nervous, everybody would feel like that in my position, but I had a great team around me to put me in the right place mentally,” she said.

Madison Keys. Photo:  Anne Parker International Sports Fotos

“I like to think I am someone who rises to the occasion. I didn’t mind (playing first) too much, there’s a lot of pressure to start off but I thought I did well to start and get a win for the team.”

Britain are in a group with Greece and Hungary, while Croatia, Turkey, Serbia and Georgia are in the other pool.

Croatia got their campaign off to a winning start with a 2-1 victory over Turkey, while Serbia beat Georgia by the same scoreline.

The winners of each group will play each other to determine who advances to the playoffs in April.
 

Peter Rowe

Recent Posts

Nadal goes down in final match

Rafael Nadal lined up for what was to be the final match of his career…

3 days ago

Sinner flattens de Minaur in runaway home start

Jannik Sinner took charge in front of his home crowd on Sunday, crushing ATP Finals…

2 weeks ago

Madcap Medvedev suffers temperamental Turin Finals loss

Daniil Medvedev went into meltdown mode on Sunday during a highly charged 6-4, 6-3 loss, with opponent…

2 weeks ago

Team Sinner considering skipping Monte Carlo

Jannik Sinner could well be missing from the opening European clay event of next season…

2 weeks ago

Davis Cup Final to mark Nadal goodbye to tennis

Rafael Nadal will bring down the curtain on his career next month as he plays his…

1 month ago

Wimbledon lowers the boom on human linecalling

Wimbledon on Wednesday brought an end to human linecalling at the most traditional of the…

1 month ago