Staff GB captain Anne Keothavong is dissatisfied not to have the ability to name upon Emma Raducanu for Billie Jean King Cup responsibility however says she has full perception within the gamers at her disposal.
Raducanu had initially been chosen for this week’s quarter-final towards Japan however withdrew to play within the Korea Open in Seoul as a wild card.
The 2021 US Open champion bought her marketing campaign in that competitors off to a strong begin, beating Jaqueline Cristin in straight units within the first spherical and now faces 2024 Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova within the second spherical on Thursday morning, reside on Sky Sports activities.
Regardless of being with out their prime participant, Keothavong is concentrating on a really sturdy efficiency from Staff GB, who changed Raducanu with Francesca Jones in a gaggle that additionally contains Katie Boulter, Sonay Kartal and Jodie Burrage.
“It’s obviously disappointing, but I do want the main focus to be on the players I have and the challenge we have ahead,” Keothavong mentioned.
“I imagine within the gamers that I’ve bought. How the staff had been capable of carry out in April to get us into this place was implausible, and I see no purpose why we won’t do the identical.
“Gamers will make choices they really feel is of their greatest curiosity, however my focus is simply on this staff.
Katie Boulter is a part of Staff GB for the Billie Jean King Cup
“We take a huge amount of pride in this competition and we do want to be world champions.”
Japan can even be with out their No 1 participant Naomi Osaka for Staff GB’s first sport of a match by which Keothavong is assured the staff can go one higher than in earlier visits.
“I think we’ve got a real shot at winning it,” Keothavong mentioned.
“We are the second seeds here, having reached the semi-finals twice in the past few years and come close to going further.”
It was a disappointing day, although, for Cameron Norrie, who suffered a shock 6-7 (3) 6-4 7-6 (2) loss towards 304th-ranked Chinese language wild card Zhou Yi on the Chengdu Open, with the 20-year-old saving a match level.
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