Meet the team: Great Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup side to face Mexico
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It’s official! Captain Anne Keothavong has named her five-woman squad for this month’s Billie Jean King Cup play-off tie against Mexico. Let’s take a closer look at who’s made the team.
1) Heather Watson
Age: 28
World Ranking: 67
Ties played: 32
Billie Jean King Cup record: 29-13
Watson has been a part of 35 British Billie Jean King Cup squads – putting her sixth in the all-time list for most Billie Jean King Cup squads made by a British woman.
Since first making her debut in 2011 Watson has played in 42 matches – winning 29 and losing 13. Her win/loss ratio in singles is 21-10, which equals the best record of any British woman – her Captain Keothavong shares the record.
Watson has faced both Naomi Osaka and Simona Halep in Billie Jean King Cup contests, while she has also beaten the likes of Jelena Ostapenko and Elina Svitolina.
2) Harriet Dart
Age: 24
World Ranking: 149
Ties played: 3
Billie Jean King Cup record: 2-2
Dart will take part in her fourth Billie Jean King Cup tie, this month. She made her debut against Slovenia in 2019, where she became the 52nd player to represent Britain in the competition since its inception in 1963.
She has won both doubles matches she’s played in to date, and although she hasn’t triumphed in singles yet she did take top-30 player Viktória Kužmová to three sets in Great Britain’s match against Slovakia last year.
3) Katie Swan
Age: 22
World Ranking: 245
Ties played: 5
Billie Jean King Cup record: 4-1
Swan wrote her name into the history books in 2016, when she became Great Britain’s youngest Billie Jean King Cup player. Aged 16 she won two singles matches, and lost one, during a series of matches in Israel.
The Brit – who also featured in two doubles contests in 2019, winning both with Dart as her partner – is on the comeback trail following a series of injuries and will be hoping to continue her good form in the women’s team event.
4) Jodie Burrage
Age: 21
World Ranking: 256
Ties played: 0
Billie Jean King Cup record: 0-0
Burrage will make her Billie Jean King Cup debut against Mexico – and she comes into the event in fine form.
The 21-year-old, who reached a career-high WTA singles ranking of World No. 233 in 2019, put on an impressive display to claim the ITF Dubai title earlier this month.
Burrage caught the eye when she beat British No.1 Johanna Konta in the second Battle of the Brits Team Tennis event and will be hoping to make her mark against the Mexicans.
5) Katie Boulter
Age: 24
World Ranking: 292
Ties played: 7
Billie Jean King Cup record: 7-1
Boulter made her debut in 2018 and has a formidable record in the team event with a singles win/loss ratio of 5-1 – and a doubles win/loss ratio of 2-0.
The 24-year-old starred in Great Britain’s World Group II victory over Kazakhstan at the Copper Box Arena in 2019, clinching the tie with a memorable 6-7, 6-4, 6-1 win over Zarina Diyas.
Like her team mate Swan, Boulter is also returning from a long-term injury and will be hoping she can make up for lost time in her first Billie Jean King Cup appearance in two years.