Even with the privilege of choosing both court and location for their Billie Jean King Cup qualifying tie against France in Coventry, Great Britain entered the fray fully aware of their status as heavy underdogs.
While the away team boasts one of the best players in the world, Caroline Garcia, and a group of experienced veterans, with the absence of Emma Raducanu, Britain could not put forth a single player inside the top 130.
Still, five months on from their run to the Billie Jean King Cup semi-finals, Great Britain gave a strong showing in an opening day decided by painfully fine margins. Garcia, the world number five, established a lead by edging out Katie Boulter 6-7(2), 7-6(4), 7-6(2). Alizé Cornet followed suit, defeating Harriet Dart 7-6(6), 7-6(3) to finish day one with a 2-0 lead for France.
In fast indoor conditions at the Coventry Arena, the tie opened with an exhibition of pure first strike tennis as Boulter resolved to go blow for blow with one of the most offensive players on the tour.
Boulter played extremely well but after three tiebreaks Garcia’s greater nerve and athleticism marked the narrow difference between the two as she sealed a first victory for France.
Despite the 99 ranking spots separating Garcia from Boulter, world number 154, neither player was surprised by how tight the contest became. While she has struggled to build her ranking in lower level tournaments, the 26-year-old has developed a reputation for performing well on the biggest stages.
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“Obviously, I’m going to take that one to heart and it’s really going to hurt but I also know the level that I’m playing at right now and I just hope I can use that momentum and keep things going,” said Boulter.
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After the fast, vicious shotmaking of the opening rubber, Cornet and Dart offered a different spectacle. Two underpowered players who rely on their movement and timing, they dragged each other into long, physical exchanges, covering every part of the court as they tried to out-think and outmanoeuvre their opponent. Cornet, a former top-20 player, was more proactive in the decisive moments.
Despite an admirable effort from both players, Great Britain face a daunting task in the reverse singles rubbers. Dart will return on Saturday afternoon to face Garcia, with the British No 1 needing the best win of her career to keep the hosts alive.