Raducanu faces Martincova in her first singles look at Billie Jean King Cup

Raducanu faces Martincova in her first singles appearance at Billie Jean King Cup

World quantity 12 Emma Raducano has been chosen alongside Harriet Dart to play the opening singles matches for Nice Britain on Friday. Raducanu is making her solo debut within the competitors and competing with Tereza Martincova can be her first skilled claycourt match.

Final replace: 4/14/22 5:40 PM

Emma Raducano is ready to make her singles debut at the Billie Jean King Cup for Great Britain

Emma Raducano is able to make her singles debut on the Billie Jean King Cup for Nice Britain

Emma Raducano prepares to face Teresa Martinkova in her first Billie Jean King Singles Cup debut for Nice Britain on Friday.

The British nationwide staff meet the Czech Republic within the playoffs on clay on the ICLTK tennis membership Prague, the positioning of the 1986 finals.

The staff consists of Raducanu, Harriet Dart, Katie Swan and Sonay Kartal. The winners of the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers will advance to the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in November, whereas the losers will go to the 2023 qualifiers.

World quantity 12 Radocano was chosen together with Britain’s quantity two Harriet Dart to play the opening singles matches on Friday. The Dart would open the match in opposition to Marketa Vondrousova, earlier than going through Raducanu Martincova.

Saturday’s reverse singles will see gamers swap opponents, with the flexibility to observe the essential doubles match.

Not solely will Raducanu make her Nice Britain debut on Friday, however she may even play her first skilled match on clay.

She spent every week on the roof in Italy earlier than touring to Prague and though her ft struggled with the slip wanted to thrive on the roof, Raducanu is optimistic concerning the future.

“This can be my first skilled claycourt match, so I am positively studying,” mentioned Radocano.

“I really feel like this may very well be one of many strongest surfaces going ahead however in fact, these are early days in the mean time. I really feel like I’ve quite a lot of potential, each bodily and I am having fun with sliding.

“So, after spending extra time on this floor, I am certain I’ll time higher and study extra concerning the floor but in addition the time that mud brings. I really feel like I can actually use it and play arduous.”

Nice Britain is presently ranked fifteenth out of 115 international locations within the Billie Jean King King Cup rankings, whereas the Czechs are fifth and fourth within the playoffs.

The Czechs are lacking plenty of skilled faces on this encounter, together with French Open champion Barbora Krejkova, Karolina Pliskova and Petra Kvitova.

World no 1 in doubles Katerina Sinyakova – who received the marathon with Raducano in Miami final month – was a late withdrawal for the Czech with harm as effectively.

The British staff is headed to a draw on the ICLTK tennis membership Prague with out a lot expertise both. Joanna Konta is now retired, and Heather Watson and Katie Poulter have misplaced that tie.

Dart, who just lately broke into the highest 100 for the primary time, debuted in Billie Jean King’s singles two years in the past, dropping two robust matches to Slovakia.

20-year-old Swann and Kartal, who was Raducanu’s greatest rival when he was younger, accomplished the quartet. The Czechs may name Karolina Moshova, Marie Bozkova and 16-year-old prodigy Linda Frohvitova.

The British staff enters the match because the underdog, however captain Anne Keuthavong has backed Raducano to rise to the event.

“It is a new expertise for her, one other new expertise, however I am certain she is going to take her steps and settle for it,” mentioned Keuthavong. “These are thrilling occasions, not only for Emma however for all of us right here.

“Now we have a troublesome problem on our arms. Those that observe tennis will know that the Czech Republic are among the many strongest international locations, particularly within the ladies’s sport, on the earth and I feel their report on this competitors speaks for itself.

“So sure, we’ll face it however the staff has ready effectively. There’s a good staff spirit and they’re prepared to present their finest.”