Great Britain knocked out of Billie Jean King Cup after loss to Czechs
Sonay Kartal and Katie Boulter both lost their singles matches as Great Britain were eliminated by the Czech Republic in the Billie Jean King Cup quarter-finals, missing the semi-finals for the first time since 2023.
Great Britain's women's tennis team exited the Billie Jean King Cup at the quarter-final stage, defeated by a formidable Czech Republic squad. Anne Keothavong's side entered the tie as clear underdogs, with all five Czech players ranked higher in singles than any member of the British team.
Sonay Kartal, playing her first matches after a six-month absence due to a lower back injury, put in a determined effort but ultimately fell short against Marie Bouzkova, losing a nearly three-hour battle 7-6 (7-2) 4-6 6-4.
Katie Boulter struggled to make an impact as she was beaten 6-2 7-6 (7-3) by Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova. It marked Boulter's second consecutive defeat to a Czech opponent, following a swift 58-minute loss to Karolina Muchova at the US Open just three weeks earlier.
This marks the first time since 2023 that Great Britain has failed to advance to the Billie Jean King Cup semi-finals, extending the team's wait for a first-ever title.
The Czech Republic, 11-time champions of the competition and the only team at the Finals with two top-10 ranked players, will now face the winner of Kazakhstan versus Spain in the semi-finals on Friday.
