King’s Cup captain Billy Jane Ann Keothavong discusses the upcoming qualifying match towards the Czech Republic, how Emma Radokanu’s success on the US Open has shocked everybody, Prime 100 Harriet Dart and highly-rated British teenager Sonai Kartal making strides.
Final replace: 04/14/22 6:23 AM
Emma Radokano’s success eventually yr’s US Open shocked King’s Cup captain Billy Jane Anne Keothavong and the tennis world.
“Nobody anticipated Emma Raducano to do what she did in New York so quickly” admitted Kings Cup captain Billy Jane Ann Keothavong as Britain prepares for a large qualifying match towards the Czech Republic.
Raducanu will make her singles debut on the staff that additionally contains Harriet Dart, Katie Swan and Sonay Kartal for the out of doors tie on clay from April 15-16.
Keothavong is seeking to 19-year-old Raducanu to show a number of the qualities she confirmed on the larger stage when she received the US Open girls’s singles title for the primary time.
Raducanu’s New York fairy story is one thing that brings again fond reminiscences of Keothavong, who admits she did not anticipate a teenage Kent to realize such huge success in a serious league so quickly in her nascent profession.
“All of us knew she was an incredible expertise. She had a promising profession forward, however I do not suppose anybody anticipated her to do what she did in New York quickly,” mentioned Keuthavong. Sky Sports activities.
“I feel it shocked each tennis participant and it is an ideal story and we now have to maintain celebrating as a result of I am undecided we’ll ever see something like that occur once more.”
With 14-year-old Mimi Shaw making a reputation for herself after profitable the LTA Nationwide Beneath-18 Championship, Keothavong stays very optimistic about the way forward for British tennis.
She mentioned, “What’s taking place on the lads’s aspect is superb and Emma’s success on the ladies’s aspect has been inspiring.
“Tennis is extra in style now than ever and we hope that there can be extra younger kids who will encourage the success of the very best British tennis gamers and we could have a higher pool of expertise to select from sooner or later.”
The Czech nationwide staff is the second most profitable staff within the historical past of the Billie Jean King Cup, profitable the title 11 occasions.
Though there should not various top-ranked gamers on the earth rankings, world quantity two Barbora Krejsikova, they may nonetheless be a formidable drive at dwelling with Marketa Vondrosova, Katerina Senyakov, Karolina Moshova and Teresa Martinkova making up a robust squad.
Along with Raducanu, Keothavong could have the most recent British member of the Dart’s prime 100, who loved a spherical of 16 spherical on the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells final month.
Dart labored alongside skilled coach Nigel Sears, who oversaw Raducano’s arrival within the fourth spherical of Wimbledon final yr.
The captain mentioned: “It was nice to see her. She did an excellent job of tensioning all of these matches and she or he completed effectively. The circumstances had been good for her and when she’s in the precise mindset she’s a troublesome opponent for anybody on the market.”
“When you break into the highest 100, it is an enormous achievement and it has been some time for Harriet, so I am glad to see her prime 100.
“Now you simply must maintain constructing. It is all about seizing these alternatives and now that they are ranked greater, we hope that becoming a member of a number of the larger occasions can be simpler.”
“Hopefully you’ve got secured the principle draw for the French Open and probably Wimbledon.”
Additionally, Keothavong’s staff is Kartal, who has competed with Radokano for the reason that age of 9.
Having already received back-to-back ITF titles this season, the 20-year-old from Brighton has climbed to world quantity 370, however she can be a key card on her debut.
“She has improved quite a bit. She has performed numerous skilled leagues within the UK final yr which has allowed her to journey and compete extra and she or he has been in a position to develop with extra confidence. She has made an enormous enchancment and is a gifted younger participant,” mentioned Keothavong.
“I feel she’s quite a bit higher than her present rating. If she retains working arduous and does what she’s doing together with her staff, I see no cause to not speed up the rankings even greater, sooner.”
The winners of the qualifiers will qualify for the Billie Jean King King Cup Finals in November (the venue has but to be introduced), whereas the losers must make it into the 2023 qualifiers.
Remember to observe us at skysports.com/tennis, our Twitter account Tweet embed & Sky Sports activities – Wherever you might be! Out there for obtain now on – iPhone, iPad and Android
