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Katie Boulter, Jodie Burrage headline Great Britain squad for BJK Cup qualifier

Boulter, Burrage headline GB squad for BJK Cup qualifier
© Reuters
Katie Boulter and Jodie Burrage headline the four-strong Great Britain squad for November's Billie Jean King Cup qualifier against Sweden at the Copper Box Arena.

Great Britain's Billie Jean King Cup Team captain Anne Keothavong has confirmed a four-strong team for November's playoff tie against Sweden.

GB will clash with the Scandinavian nation from November 11 to 12 for the right to make the 2024 qualifiers, otherwise they risk dropping down to regional events.

With Emma Raducanu still recovering from surgery, the GB squad is headlined by British number one Katie Boulter, who won her maiden WTA title at this year's Nottingham Open.

Boulter - who is ranked 52nd in the world - also matched her best-ever Wimbledon finish this year with a third-round loss to Elena Rybakina, before making the last 32 of the US Open for the first time.

Boulter's Nottingham Open final opponent, Jodie Burrage, also forms a part of the quartet ahead of her Billie Jean King Cup debut, having not taken part in April's qualifying loss to France.

Burrage sits 91st in the rankings - having previously reached a career-high 85 earlier this year - and competed in a WTA 125 event in Rouen this week, losing in straight sets to Russia's Erika Andreeva.

Jodie Burrage in action in June 2023© Reuters

Billie Jean King Cup regular Harriet Dart - who has already played eight matches in the international tournament - is also included after claiming GB's only win over Australia in the 2022 semi-finals, overcoming Ajla Tomljanovic in straight sets.

Finally, former Wimbledon mixed doubles champion Heather Watson completes the group and brings a wealth of BJK Cup experience, having claimed 23 wins from 35 ties at the competition since debuting in 2011.

"I'm delighted that all of our strongest ranked players have made themselves available for the Billie Jean King Cup tie versus Sweden next month," Keothavong told the LTA website.

"We are very excited to have yet another opportunity to play in front of a home crowd, especially at the Copper Box Arena where the fans were so instrumental in helping get us over the line when we last played there a few years ago.

"Finally, being able to captain this team is always a huge privilege and to bring live tennis back to where I grew up, means a great deal to me on a personal level."

Great Britain missed out on a place in the 2023 Billie Jean King Cup finals with a 3-1 loss to France in April's qualifier and are yet to win the competition, most recently finishing as runners-up to the United States in 1981.

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Written by
Ben Knapton

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Harriet Dart in action at the Birmingham Classic on June 23, 2023
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