Billie Jean King Cup: Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter combine to put Great Britain through to semi-finals
Updated 17/11/2024 at 21:37 GMT
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Emma Raducanu continued her return from a foot ligament injury as she recorded her second win in the Billie Jean King Cup. The 22-year-old former US Open winner defeated Canada's Rebecca Marino 6-0 7-5, in a match that grew much tougher for the Briton in the second set. Katie Boulter then followed suit with a comprehensive 6-2 6-4 win over Leylah Fernandez to qualify for the semi-finals.
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Video credit: SNTV
Emma Raducanu gave Great Britain a 1-0 lead over Canada in the quarter-finals of the Billie Jean King Cup as she defeated Rebecca Marino, before Katie Boulter finished the job by beating Leylah Fernandez.
British No. 1 Boulter beat Fernandez 6-2 6-4 in the second singles rubber, booking Great Britain's place in the last four.
GB, who are the second-lowest ranked team in the competition, will face Slovakia on Tuesday, after they beat Australia.
Boulter is yet to drop a set at the tournament, and continued her hot streak of form by brushing aside Fernandez, Raducanu's 2021 US Open final opponent, in an hour and 42 minutes in Malaga.
Britain, led by Anne Keothavong, are aiming to win the Billie Jean King Cup for the first time, and with Boulter and Raducanu playing well, their chances are growing stronger.
Boulter recovered in the first set from being broken back by Fernandez at 2-2 to restore her advantage immediately in the following game, before doubling it en route to wrapping up the first in 43 minutes.
The world No. 24 raced into a 4-0 lead in the second, opening up a double-break advantage, but she was pegged back at 5-2 when serving for the match.
She spurned a match point in the following game, and finally converted the fourth to send GB through to the semi-finals.
"We're not looking too far ahead," said captain Keothavong.
"Myself and all the other staff members are doing our best to instil the belief that the players, this, team, can do it.
"We're in it to win it. I've got every bit of faith and belief in the players."
raducanu opens tie with dominant win
The 2021 US Open winner Raducanu enjoyed a blistering start to the match in the first set, which she won without dropping a game, and then battled in the second to claim a 6-0 7-5 victory.
The 22-year-old had a 100% success rate with her serve in the first set, but was given tougher resistance from Marino in the second.
Raducanu held off seven break points, and fought through in the decisive set that lasted over an hour.
The result for Raducanu is doubly positive as it is her second consecutive win since returning to competitive tennis.
She suffered a foot ligament injury in September which kept her out of action until this tournament, and on Friday she defeated Jule Niemeier 6-4 6-4 as her team qualified for the quarters.
Speaking after her victory, Raducanu said: "It was an incredibly difficult match because the dynamics were so different in each of the sets. In the second set, Rebecca really upped her level and served great.
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"I'm very pleased with how I managed to fend off my own break points, sneak that break and close it out. When you're playing a big-serving opponent like Rebecca, you know there is so much emphasis on each serve.
"My Billie Jean King Cup performances have brought very good things out of me and I think it is the same for everyone. We all just fight extra hard, dig in a little bit. It is an honour to be representing my country."
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