Emma Raducanu made a winning return from injury before Katie Boulter followed with another victory to secure Great Britain’s place in the quarter-finals of the Billie Jean King Cup.
In Great Britain’s opening match of the first round against Germany, Raducanu claimed a 6-4 6-4 victory – on his sixth match point after a nervy finish – against Jule Niemeier in Malaga.
The 22-year-old was playing her first match in almost two months due to a foot injury, but produced an encouraging performance in the 12-nation women’s team event on her latest return.
“I feel pretty good physically. Emotionally, I felt pretty calm. I’m very happy to have scored this point,” Raducanu said.
“I think this event is a great way to come back, although there is some pressure to score a point for your team. You’re not just playing for yourself, you’re playing for everyone.”
Fresh from entering the top 25, British number one Boulter secured victory in the best-of-three match with a 6-1 6-2 victory over 84th-ranked Laura Siegemund later on Friday.
Boulter’s victory ensured the nation progressed without needing Olivia Nicholls and Heather Watson to play in a deciding doubles match against German pair Anna-Lena Friedsam and Tatjana Maria.
Great Britain, who have never won the BJK Cup, will face defending champions Canada in the round of 16 on Sunday from 4:00 p.m. GMT.
How Raducanu crossed the finish line on his return
Since Raducanu won the 2021 US Open as a teenage qualifier, she has often found herself the center of attention.
It was no different in Spain this week and, while it can often be uncomfortable in a team environment, the attention was justified by plenty of intrigue over Raducanu’s fitness.
Raducanu, who continues her comeback after wrist and ankle surgeries last year, had not played since September 21, when she withdrew from her Korea Open quarterfinal against Daria Kasatkina after damaging the ligaments in her left foot.
A month ago, she was still wearing a protective boot. On Thursday, she insisted she was ready. But what state would she really be in?
After a demoralizing first-round exit at the US Open, Raducanu lamented the lack of time on court in the run-up, leading to valid questions about the finesse of his match in Malaga.
Her comeback rustiness showed in the opening exchanges against 92nd-ranked Niemeier before she quickly began to find her rhythm.
His serve was particularly effective in the first set, especially in key moments.
Seven aces, including four as she came back from 0-40 down for a 5-3 lead, and winning 80% of her points on the first serve took its toll.
Niemeier, a quarter-finalist at Wimbledon in 2022, possesses a powerful game that lent itself to success on grass but, after a strong start against Raducanu, the 25-year-old’s service game disintegrated and confidence appeared to erode.
After an exchange of breaks at the start of the second set, Raducanu, 58th, mentally locked in again to advance a double break.
But if the large British presence at the Palacio de Deportes thought the conclusion would be simple, they were wrong.
Raducanu’s lack of court time was indicative of crossing the line.
Raducanu lost a serve after wasting a match point at 5-2 with a double fault, couldn’t capitalize on three more chances in the ninth game, but finally sealed the victory in the sixth moment of demand.
“I’m proud of how I regrouped, because it’s not easy,” Raducanu said.
“I did a really good job of giving myself that cushion and that lead, so the nerves from the first game meant I had a little bit of leeway to maybe lose my focus a little bit, even if it’s not ideal.”
Boulter highlights Britain’s strength
In an event where many nations are without their biggest stars, the fact that Great Britain has its two best singles players is a huge asset.
Possessing players with the pedigree of Boulter – the highest-ranked singles player in the draw behind Poland’s Iga Swiatek and Italy’s Jasmine Paolini – and former Grand Slam champion Raducanu is why captain Anne Keothavong believes his team has the talent to go all the way.
The pair combined to lead Great Britain to the BJK Cup final in April’s qualifying victory over France and that winning formula continued in Malaga.
Boulter, 28, has just returned from a successful seven-week stint in Asia, where she reached the semi-finals in Tokyo before going further to finish second in Hong Kong.
His confidence on hard courts was illustrated in a ruthless victory against Siegemund that lasted just 70 minutes.
“Being 1-0 up is great, it helps free me up a bit more,” Boulter said.
“Emma did incredibly well. Obviously she hasn’t played a lot of matches, so to see that level there again is really nice to see. This is where she belongs.”
