Emma Raducanu of the United Kingdom wins the BJK Cup in the Czech Republic after Harriet Dart loses.
Emma Raducanu won on her Billie Jean King Cup debut, tying Great Britain with the Czech Republic and putting the qualifying tie in jeopardy.
Raducanu, 19, was playing her first senior match on clay, and she won 7-5 7-5 against world number 50 Tereza Martincova.
After Harriet Dart lost 6-1 6-0 to Marketa Vondrousova, the US Open champion leveled the best-of-five tie.
On Saturday, the nations will compete in two singles matches, as well as a doubles match if necessary.
The winners will advance to the finals in November, while the losers will face a play-off tie the following week.
Britain is one of the countries bidding to host the finals and could still be chosen as the host nation.
Following her meteoric rise over the last year, it’s easy to overlook Raducanu’s lack of professional experience.
But she used all of her talent and mental toughness to overcome a tough battle with 27-year-old Martincova.
The teenager saved a set point at 5-4 in the first game before winning the next three, and he also rallied from a 4-1 deficit in the second.
Raducanu won six of the final seven games to secure a crucial victory for herself and her team, expressing her joy with an enthusiastic celebration before being embraced by her teammates.
With illness and injury hampering her first full season on the main WTA tour, Raducanu’s victory was only her third in 2022.
