2 years ago
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Watson is successful 2nd spot connected the database for astir singles matches won by a British subordinate successful the Fed Cup/Billie Jean King Cup with 23Great Britain volition person to combat backmost from down to scope the Billie Jean King Cup last aft Heather Watson mislaid the opening rubber of the semi-final against Australia successful Glasgow.
Watson, 30, mislaid 6-4 7-6 (7-3) to Storm Sanders arsenic Britain effort to scope the last for the archetypal clip since 1981.
If Harriet Dart loses to Ajla Tomljanovic successful the adjacent singles rubber, Australia volition unafraid victory.
If the Briton wins, the best-of-three necktie volition spell to a deciding doubles.
Britain person been the underdogs passim the contention and look different uphill task to scope the last aft Watson's defeat.
But 1 happening we person learned astir Anne Keothavong's broadside this week is not to constitute them off.
Having initially failed to suffice for the event, they were handed a spot arsenic the big federation and enactment into a hard radical with Spain and Kazakhstan, who are some ranked higher than the Britons.
They had besides suffered different a stroke earlier the 12-team finals started erstwhile Emma Raducanu - the 2021 US Open champion and Britain's highest-ranked subordinate - was ruled retired done injury.
After losing to Kazakhstan connected Tuesday, they could person been eliminated earlier adjacent playing Spain connected Thursday.
But Spain, led by erstwhile satellite fig 2 Paula Badosa, won 3-0 against Kazakhstan successful their opening radical match, which past meant Great Britain needed to bushed them 3-0 - which they did successful a stunning show that Keothavong described arsenic "something truly special".
Watson was superb successful Thursday's must-win radical necktie against five-time champions Spain arsenic the hosts reached the past four, but could not scope the aforesaid level against an hostile ranked 104 places beneath her.
Sanders is amended than her existent ranking of 237 suggests, illustrated by her caller signifier connected the ITF Tour and she has taken that into the BJK Cup Finals this week.
Starting confidently and aggressively, the 28-year-old dominated Watson from the aboriginal exchanges and that led to a interruption for 2-1 successful the opening acceptable from which Watson could not recover.
The British fig six, backed by noisy enactment from the biggest assemblage of the week, broke for 2-0 successful the 2nd acceptable but could not clasp connected to the pb arsenic Sanders recovered to gain her 5th triumph of the week.
More to follow.
English (US)