In the three singles rubbers of their Billie Jean King Cup qualifying tie against France, Great Britain put up a strong, gritty resistance as underdogs on home soil. No match was easy, no game was relinquished without a fight and they punched above their weight until the end.
But no amount of grit and good vibes could hold off the more talented, experienced and accomplished team as France clinched all three victories. After edging out Katie Boulter in her opening rubber, Caroline Garcia held off a late surge from Harriet Dart to win 6-1, 6-7 (10), 6-1.
The tie concluded with a minor win as Alicia Barnett and Olivia Nicholls pulled off a dramatic comeback against Kristina Mladenovic and Clara Burel in the doubles dead rubber, recovering from an 8-2 deficit in the final set match tiebreak to win 7-5, 3-6,11-9 after saving two match points.
“We knew it was going to be a battle from the first point until the last one over the two days,” said Garcia, the world No 5. “They proved why they did so well last year in the finals. We had to go very deep and I had to stay focused every single time.”
France proceed to the finals in November at a venue still to be confirmed. After reaching the semi-finals last year in Glasgow, Great Britain will contest a playoff tie as they attempt to maintain their status in the top division.
“I’m proud of the players – they gave it their best against much higher ranked opponents and there were chances and that’s what we have to remember,” said Anne Keothavong, Great Britain’s captain.
The opening day on Friday had produced five tiebreaks in five sets, with Garcia edging out Boulter in a three-set, first-strike battle before Alizé Cornet outmanoeuvred Dart in two sets.
The battle of the two No 1s on Saturday in Coventry, however, presented a mismatch. On such a fast indoor court, Dart was too underpowered to hold off Garcia’s considerable weapons consistently . Garcia served excellently in the first set and freely teed off on Dart’s weak second serve, breaking it all three times in the opening set.
- Download the Guardian app from the iOS App Store on iPhone or the Google Play store on Android by searching for 'The Guardian'.
- If you already have the Guardian app, make sure you’re on the most recent version.
- In the Guardian app, tap the Menu button at the bottom right, then go to Settings (the gear icon), then Notifications.
- Turn on sport notifications.
To her credit, Dart responded by serving excellently, holding on to her serve until the end. In the long, excruciating tiebreak, both players struggled desperately with nerves, but Dart’s tenacity won out as she saved two match points and forced a third set.
It proved to be only a brief detour for Garcia, who immediately shrugged off her disappointment and dominated in the third set, closing off the tie on her own terms.
Dart was frustrated by her inability to take her opportunities during the weekend and the mistakes she offered up in key moments. Still, it remains a positive week for a group of players that arrived in Coventry having struggled to find consistent form this year. They will look to use these performances to rebuild momentum.
“I’m proud that I was able to compete hard and give it my best, but lots of things to improve on,” said Dart.
The tie may well have taken on a different complexion had Emma Raducanu, who thrives on fast courts, been present. The British No 1 opted to prepare for the WTA 500 event in Stuttgart, a tournament fronted by one of her sponsors, Porsche, citing the stress of changing surfaces on her existing physical problems for not joining the Fed Cup team.
It has also given Raducanu more time to prepare for only her second clay season. As a young player with minimal experience on the dirt, prioritising her development early in her career is reasonable.
Keothavong was hopeful of Raducanu’s presence in November. “I would like to think that if she continues playing and is fit and healthy, I see no reason why she wouldn’t be part of the team in November,” she said.
