Emma Raducanu and more big names left out as Team GB name BJK Cup squad | Tennis | Sport
The British Billie Jean King Cup squad will be left without three of the four highest-ranked British women for their qualifier tie against Australia next month. British No. 1 Emma Raducanu is noticeably absent from the squad, as are Katie Boulter and Francesca Jones. Instead, British No. 2 Sonay Kartal will lead the team, which also includes Harriet Dart, Jodie Burrage, and Mika Stojsavljevic. A fifth player can be announced closer to the time.
Announcing her four-woman line-up, team captain Anne Keothavong said: “Playing away from home against a strong nation like Australia is going to be tough, but we always embrace these weeks together as a team and will be up for the challenge in Melbourne.
“We’ve got players with great experience in this competition in our team and it’s an exciting opportunity for Mika to join the senior team for the first time. It’s an iconic sporting venue and we’d really love for all the Brits in Melbourne to come along and cheer us on in April.”
Raducanu’s absence comes as no surprise, as the world No. 24 had already signed up for the WTA 500 event in Linz, staged at the same time as Britain’s tie against Australia. It’s a tough schedule for the British players – Team GB must fly to Melbourne to face the Aussies on a hard court on John Cain Arena from April 10 to 11, then fly back for the beginning of the European clay swing. It made it difficult to persuade Britain’s top players to commit to the tie.
World No. 54 Kartal, the squad’s highest-ranked player, is a strong BJK Cup player with a 3-1 record in the team competition. Her only loss came to Emma Navarro at the BJK Cup Finals last September.
The Brighton-based star is in form after reaching the fourth round of Indian Wells, upsetting Navarro and world No. 15 Madison Keys en route. But she was forced to retire mid-match against Elena Rybakina, citing a back injury.
Dart and Burrage have also represented Team GB in the past, while 2024 Junior US Open champion Stojsavljevic is set to make her debut. The Aussies have also named their five-strong team for April’s tie.
Maya Joint, Talia Gibson, Storm Hunter, Kimberly Birrell, and Ellen Perez will represent Australia in the best-of-five-match tie, which includes four singles matches and one doubles rubber.
Gibson is enjoying a fairytale run in Indian Wells this fortnight. After coming through qualifying, the world No. 112 beat two top-20 players, Ekaterina Alexandrova and Clara Tauson, and then shocked No. 7 seed Jasmine Paolini to reach the quarter-finals. The 21-year-old will skyrocket into the top 70 next week.
