The Lexus Great Britain Billie Jean King Cup team will go toe-to-toe with Sweden in a bid to reach the Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers next year.

For Billie Jean King Cup Captain, Anne Keothavong, the East London venue holds fond memories.  Back in 2019, she led the team that saw Johanna Konta and Katie Boulter seal a 3-1 win over Kazakhstan, which brought the Brits 26-year wait for Billie Jean King Cup promotion to an end.

We caught up with the GB Captain to discuss her thoughts heading into the tie, team selections and what she’s expecting from a strong Swedish side.

“I'm always excited when the team comes together again” Keothavong said. “These ties, especially when we're at home, are special and we try to make them memorable for all involved.”

“This competition is unique in the sense that it's a team event, so you're bringing a group of individuals together, but the players we have on the team are experienced - they know the drill, they know how it works, so they're familiar with everyone.

“To be able to showcase the very best of British women’s tennis on that platform is a great opportunity and hopefully the players in the team will help inspire more people to pick up a racket and have a go.”

Spearheading a strong British line-up is British No.1 Boulter, who is joined by seasoned Billie Jean King Cup players, Harriet Dart and Heather Watson. Despite being considered singles specialists, Dart and Watson provide Keothavong with options should the tie head to a deciding doubles rubber, having both picked up doubles titles in recent months.

“They bring a lot of energy, and they take a huge amount of pride representing Great Britain - long may that continue. Like Katie, they come with experience, and they know how it works. It’s great to have options as a captain and have players who I know can perform to a high level on the singles and doubles court.

“They’ve obviously played together a lot in the past so they’re familiar with each other’s game styles and they gel. Should we be in a sticky situation, I know they’ve got the ability to rise to the challenge.”

Also joining the team is British No.2 Jodie Burrage who could be in contention to play her first match for Great Britain and earn her LTA Colour Holder status. The 23-year-old was selected to join the team during the Brits’ tie against Mexico back in 2021 and has once again been called up to join the team, following a standout year that has seen her reach her first final at a WTA event and reached a career high of world No.85.

“We’re coming towards the end of the season, and it’s been a long old year. For Jodie, this won’t be her first time on the team, but she’s put herself in a fantastic position with her ranking inside the world’s top 100 and that gives her a great platform to build on going into next year.

“Jodie loves a good chat and the banter we have together is a lot of fun. The team have spent enough time around each other over the years and there's always plenty of laughing that goes on.

"Creating a relaxed environment for everyone is important to me. The support staff who work alongside me know me well, it's important we all communicate with each other the best we can and share ideas if we want to get the best out of the players and each other.

"I can speak from experience, these weeks are always tough for a variety of reasons but when you hang up your racket, you look back at these weeks fondly and long for them again. Hopefully one day they'll agree with me!"

Despite a strong contingent in the British squad, they have a tough challenge ahead of them in the Swedes. The two nations have gone head-to-head six times in the tournament’s history, with the head-to-head currently being levelled at 3-3 – but what is Keothavong expecting from their opponents this time around?

“They’re not to be underestimated. Their Captain, Johanna Larsson, is one of my contemporaries and I think the last time we played Sweden I actually played in that tie, and I lost one of my matches.

“Their top two players are very experienced - Rebecca Peterson has been ranked a lot higher and Mirjam Bjorklund had a great summer and played really well at the US Open.

“We’re looking forward to getting back together as a team. The fact that we’ve got the opportunity to play at home at the Copper Box is incredibly special for me on a personal level because it’s down the road from where I grew up.

“The home support will help carry us and give us that slight advantage, but we have to go into the match fully prepared and ready for a battle.”

The Great Britain Billie Jean King Cup team will be in action against Sweden on Saturday 11 November at 14:00 and Sunday 12 November at 12:00. You can watch coverage of the tie on the BBC Sport website and via BBC iPlayer.