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Great Britain march to 3-1 win over Sweden in Billie Jean King Cup playoff

Great Britain march to 3-1 win over Sweden in BJK Cup playoff
© Reuters
Katie Boulter and Harriet Dart earn crucial victories as Great Britain overcome Sweden 3-1 in their Billie Jean King Cup playoff.

Katie Boulter and Harriet Dart came up trumps at the Copper Box Arena in London as Great Britain defeated Sweden 3-1 in their Billie Jean King Cup playoff encounter.

The tie was on a knife-edge following Saturday's pair of matches, as Jodie Burrage suffered a surprise defeat to Kajsa Rinaldo Persson before Boulter overcame Caijsa Hennemann to level the series for the hosts.

Boulter kicked off Sunday's action with a 6-1 7-6[5] triumph over Rinaldo Persson to propel GB into the lead, before Burrage's replacement Dart completed the job with a 7-5 6-2 success over Hennemann.

The 3-1 series success means that GB will be present in the April's qualifying rounds for the 2024 Billie Jean King Cup Finals, the draw for which will be held later in November.

After taking just 77 minutes to put Hennemann to the sword on Saturday, Boulter was given a slightly rougher ride by Rinaldo Persson, the world number 372 galvanised by her giant killing of an off-colour Burrage earlier in the weekend.

Boulter missed two chances to break the Swede in her opening service game, but it was all downhill for Rinaldo Persson after that opening hold, as Boulter won five games on the spin to take the opener with aplomb.

Katie Boulter in action for Great Britain at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals on November 8, 2022© Reuters

The world number 58 immediately went a set and a break up, but a couple of double faults allowed Rinaldo Persson to break back straight away, and the Swede was one game away from forcing a third set as Boulter lost serve again in the eighth game.

Rinaldo Persson had three chances to close out the second set with a love hold, but the world number 372 capitulated and missed a fourth set point as Boulter broke back, before witnessed the Swede send a wild backhand wide of the tramlines on match point in the tie-breaker.

Burrage was scheduled to take on Hennemann in the day's second match, but team captain Anne Keothavong drafted Dart in for the pivotal contest, and it proved to be a smart decision from the 48-year-old.

Dart failed to take two break points in Hennemann's opening service game before establishing a 5-3 lead, but she lost her serve while trying to close out the opening set as the world number 532 threatened to spring another Scandinavian surprise.

However, Dart dusted herself down and broke her opponent one again in the 11th game before holding to 30, and the second set was a much more routine affair for the 27-year-old.

Hennemann lost serve straight away on a double fault, and an identical story befell the Swede in the seventh game before she could only return a ferocious Dart forehand wide on match point, sparking jubilant scenes for the GB troupe.

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Ben Knapton

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Katie Boulter in action for Great Britain at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals on November 8, 2022
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