Billie Jean King Cup 2024: Great Britain vs Slovakia – results & updates

Match one: Raducanu clinches tough win over Hruncakova

Great Britain went just one match away from a first Billie Jean King Cup final since 1981 after British No.2 Emma Raducanu defeated Viktoria Hrucakova in the opening match 6-4, 6-4.

Raducanu is now up to six victories for the Brits in seven matches played and showed her quality once again on the biggest stage.

“I’m really pleased with how I composed myself once again and served it out in both sets,” she said. 

“Every match is extremely challenging and as the tournament progresses, it becomes so more and more. Today was a really tough battle because my opponent has a huge ball strike, and she plays way above her ranking.

“I’m happy to come through that because I’ve lost to her before.”

It was a nervy start from Hruncakova who mis-fired on a series of backhands to give Raducanu a break right from the first game.

The British No.2 had to work hard to consolidate the break – seeing off three break points in a 10-minute game to stretch 2-0 in front, which helped her settle more into the rhythm we’ve seen all week.

Raducanu broke again shortly after and had the chance to serve for the set at 5-2, but Hruncakova loosened up and raised her game to another level. The Slovakian found three big forehand winners to get one break back, before a hold of her own cut the gap to just one game.

When the pressure could have been rising for the young Briton she showed great composure. On the second time of asking she managed to comfortably serve out the set and let out a huge roar in celebration.

A very solid all-round performance from the Briton was highlighted on a crucial break of serve at 2-2 in the second set. Raducanu was made to show her defensive qualities with excellent use of the slice to get her opponent out of rhythm and the errors crept back in for Hruncakova – hitting 17 in the second set.

Like in the first set, Raducanu got out to a 5-2 lead, but it felt like deja-vu as Hruncakova reignited her heavy groundstrokes to get back to 5-4.

Steadying herself for another bite at the apple, Raducanu knocked down four straight first serves to see out a hard fought win in an hour and 37 minutes.

Match two: Sramkova levels the tie with gutsy win

World No.43 Rebecca Sramkova levelled the scores for Slovakia after an epic comeback win over Britain’s Katie Boulter 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.

The win means that the tie will now be decided in the final doubles rubber.

“She was playing amazing in the first set and it was tough for me to play in the rallies,” Sramkova said of Boulter after the match.

“I managed to push more in the second and third set and we’ve managed to get a point.”

In the second meeting between the two this year, it was an edgy first few games as both players failed to hold on their opening service games.

Boulter had been targeting the Slovakian’s backhand to great effect and Sramkova struggled to get on top in the early rallies. The British No.1 broke back straight away before fending off another break point to seal the first hold of the match.

Now with a two-game cushion the Brit was able to relax a bit more into the match and increased her level game after game. The Slovakian won just nine points on serve and a third break from the Brit all but closed out an impressive opening set.

With Slovakia’s Billie Jean King Cup run on the line, Sramkova stepped up to fight back. After clinching just her second hold of the match, the world No.43 managed to get the first break of the second set with an assured backhand winner for a two game advantage.

Sramkova – who is undefeated at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals so far – seemed to be riding a wave as she went on to a 4-1 lead, but Boulter showed great fight to get back to 4-4.

Boulter’s serving has been so effective all week, but in the second set she won less than half the points on serve. The Slovakian made life increasingly difficult for the Brit, refusing to give up any free points. Sramkova went on an impressive run in winning five of the next six games to not only take the set, but go up 3-1 in the third.

Just when she needed it most however, Boulter dug deep to grind out a gutsy break to get back on serve once again as they approach the business end of the contest.

The last few games of the match saw some of the best tennis of the match as both nations top-ranked players went toe-to-toe in a pivotal moment of the tie.

There seemed to be an opportunity for Boulter at 15-30 on Sramkova’s serve at 4-4, but the Slovakian proved just a level above in the closing stages, holding and then breaking Boulter for a sixth time in the match to see out an inspired win.

Match three: Slovakia prove too good in doubles decider

Viktoria Hruncakova and Tereza Mihalikova booked Slovakia’s place in the Billie Jean King Cup final after beating Olivia Nicholls and Heather Watson 6-2, 6-2 in the decisive doubles rubber.

“We feel absolutely amazing, the atmosphere was amazing,” said Hruncakova. “I think we played the best doubles of our lives and we are so happy to be in the finals.”

The Slovakian team made an early statement of intent with an inch perfect lob winner on the first point of the match, before Hruncakova rifled a return winner on their second break point opportunity.

The Brits struggled to get going in the early stages and were punished by a Slovakian pairing who secured the deciding victory over USA in the first match of the tournament.

They broke against Nicholls’s serve with yet another return winner from Hruncakova before moving on to a 4-0 lead in just 17 minutes.

Nicholls and Watson did have an encouraging end to the set – both sealing comfortable holds and having a break point against Mihalikova’s serve before the Slovakian’s eventually saw out the set.

However, Hruncakova and Mihalikova picked up where they left off in the second. Watson did well to save a break point on serve in the opening game, but some more heavy returning and impressive hands at the net helped the Slovakian’s break Nicholls’s serve to love.

In the following game, Watson missed a crucial volley as the Brits saw three break points come and go – giving the Slovakian’s a two-game lead at 3-1.

It would prove to be the Brits final chance. Hruncakova and Mihalikova broke Nicholls for a third time before the British No.1’s usual doubles partner served out the match in style.