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Jonathan Jurejko

BBC Sport tennis recordsdata reporter in Malaga

BJK Cup semi-finals: Enormous Britain v Slovakia

Venue: Palacio de Deportes, Malaga Date: Tuesday, 19 November Time: 11:00 GMT

Coverage: Survey survive BBC Purple Button, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport web space & app; apply stay text commentary on the receive space and app; take heed to BBC Radio 5 Live for updates

When Emma Raducanu used to be discovering lifestyles as a elephantine-time participant on the WTA Tour in 2022, she described herself as a “loner”.

It raised questions about whether integrating the 2021 US Start champion into the Enormous Britain team ambiance might possibly maybe maybe point to challenging.

In a sport where avid gamers impartial as sole merchants for the bulk of the 300 and sixty five days, switching from a mindset of pursuing person glory to achieving a neatly-liked impartial might possibly maybe maybe maybe moreover be tricky.

Nonetheless the most sensible seemingly diagram that British captain Anne Keothavong has managed to forge a bond between her avid gamers – notably leading pair Raducanu and Katie Boulter – has been basically the well-known to the nation’s flee to the Billie Jean King Cup semi-finals.

On Tuesday, Britain face Slovakia as they sight to prevail in the final of the girls americans’s team tournament for the first time since 1981.

“I know what’s crucial for me in this opponents, that the girls receive a manner to gel and salvage on,” said Keothavong.

“I know from my old skills as a participant, that wasn’t repeatedly the case.”

Instilling a sturdy camaraderie, and seeing her team thriving as a result, is a supply of immense pleasure for Keothavong.

It comes from a deepest location. Keothavong’s converse wavered with emotion as she recalled her relationship with aged British team-mate Elena Baltacha, who died of most cancers ancient 30 in 2014.

In the gradual 2000s and early 2010s, the pair competed for the location of British no 1 and for a extraordinarily prolonged time did no longer leer sight-to-sight.

“I don’t deem it is any secret we had our u.s.and downs, however against the pause we had been moderately tight,” said Keothavong.

“We had been ready as adults, attributable to we had been a small older and extra inclined, to repeat on how lets had been better.

“When she passed away, you apt deem all of that used to be this kind of waste. To exhaust so necessary time being offended with every fairly hundreds of used to be totally useless.”

The temper in the British camp has been a ways from stressful all the most sensible seemingly diagram thru their time in Malaga.

After they might possibly maybe maybe maybe now no longer leave their hotel on Wednesday attributable to of heavy rain and flash flooding in the Andalusian city, spirits had been kept excessive with video games of spikeball and a yoga session.

The team moreover renowned Raducanu’s twenty 2nd birthday together. Balloons and banners had been hung out of doors her bed room door in the morning, followed by the presentation of a candlelit chocolate cake in the evening.

The camaraderie has moreover been bolstered with what Raducanu describes as a “few internal jokes” operating thru the camp.

“I don’t deem there is any strain. We’re apt taking half in ourselves,” said Boulter.

“I know they’ve bought my lend a hand, so no matter what occurs, I’m apt going to exit and pause my handiest. I know they’re going to enhance me.”

While Raducanu and Boulter had been leading from the front, Keothavong stresses her team is extra than apt a double act.

Harriet Stir, Heather Watson and Olivia Nicholls all set aside points on the board in Britain’s flee to the 2022 semi-finals and, even though they’ve now no longer yet been called upon in Malaga, comprise already conducted key roles.

Watson is described as the “lifestyles and soul” of the team, with Nicholls moreover gradual many of the “banter”.

“Usually it is esteem after I leave my youth at home, what are they up to at this time? Or now no longer it is esteem picking up extra youth,” said Keothavong.

Frivolity most productive will get a team to this point, though. Having a Sizable Slam champion esteem Raducanu ready to work in tandem with Boulter, a high 25 participant, has been a distinction-maker.

Raducanu led Britain into the 12-nation knockout stage by winning both her fits in April’s qualifier against France, Boulter offering the fairly hundreds of point with one victory.

In Malaga, neither has dropped a location in basically the most convenient-of-three wins over Germany and Canada.

“The extra I play Billie Jean King Cup, the extra I salvage pleasure from it, the extra I feel esteem the stakes are so excessive – however in a extraordinarily relaxed and thrilling manner,” said Raducanu, who had now no longer conducted for 2 months attributable to of a foot afflict sooner than this tournament.

Against Slovakia, Raducanu and Boulter will all all over again face lower-ranked opponents, which manner Britain are favourites to location up a final against Italy or Poland on Wednesday.

Although they lose, it has been a official flee given they had been the 2nd lowest-ranked team and the uncertainty over Raducanu’s fitness.

“Being ready to captain this team is a big privilege for me,” said Keothavong. “Nonetheless the job is a lot from over.”

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