Emma Raducanu can step in to save Great Britain in the self-styled World Cup of women’s tennis but questions over whether she will be fit in time for November clash
- Emma Raducanu can be the saviour to help the women’s Team GB efforts
- The former US Open champion is currently unavailable through injury
- But team captain Anne Keothavong wants her back available for November
Despite giving some tantalising glimpses of what they are capable of, Great Britain faces the prospect of a November relegation playoff in the self-styled World Cup of women’s tennis.
Whether that will be with Emma Raducanu available or not remains unclear, with the number one player sitting out the 3-0 Billie Jean King Cup defeat to France which was completed in Coventry on Saturday.
Raducanu was in another city associated with the motor trade – Stuttgart – preparing for this week’s WTA event while Harriet Dart eventually found herself outgunned by world number five Caroline Garcia 6-1 6-7 6-1 to give the visitors an unassailable lead.
As on the first day a creditable fight was put up by Dart, who at 117 is Britain’s third ranked player behind Raducanu and Jodie Burrage, who was not selected.
It is highly debatable whether either would have made any difference to the result. In the case of Raducanu there is reason to believe she would want to play in November’s match, which needs to be won if GB is not to slip into the European zonal tier of this competition.
Emma Raducanu will be needed to help keep team Great Britain from avoiding relegation in the Billie Jean King Cup
Raducanu has to be available for upcoming November clashes to help Team GB efforts
The former US Open champion has to be available for one of the next two representative matches if she wants to play in the Paris Olympics next year.
‘If Emma is fit and healthy I see no reason why she wouldn’t be part of the team in November,’ said Captain Anne Keothavong.
In Raducanu’s absence an undoubted team spirit has built up among the other players, which contributed to the fight they showed against superior opposition.
Captain Anne Keothavong (pictured) wants to have Raducanu in her team if she is available
Now they have to follow it up by reproducing a similar level when playing solo on the tour, without a home crowd or the sense of occasion created by encouragingly packed stands at the Coventry Arena.
In football parlance you might say they need to do it on a rainy night in Stoke.
‘It’s important that they’re able to take all the good stuff that from these weeks into their next tournaments and build,’ added Keothavong.
Dart looked Garcia’s equal in the second set – as Boulter did for three sets on Friday – and saved two match points before taking the tiebreak 12-10. After that the high class French player reasserted herself to make it straightforward in the end.