Great Britain reached the semi-finals of the Billie Jean King Cup for the first time since 1981 after a 3-0 victory over Spain in Group C.
Heather Watson and Harriet Dart got the job done in eye-catching fashion against Nuria Parrizas Diaz and Paula Badosa respectively in their singles battles, before Alicia Barnett and Olivia Nicholls sealed the deal by beating Rebeka Masarova and Aliona Bolsova in a pivotal doubles match.
The home favourites got off to the best possible start when Watson took on Parrizas Diaz, and the 30-year-old took just one hour and seven minutes to storm to a 6-0 6-2 success in arguably one of the best performances of her career to date.
Despite posting a bagel in the first set, the scoreline did not tell the full story for Watson, who saved as many as five break points in the third game to hold for a 3-0 lead.
Parrizas Diaz then saved two break points herself in the sixth game as she desperately tried to stay in the tie, but Watson broke for a third time to take the first set with ease.
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The Spaniard would hold in her opening two service games in the second set to get on the board, but Watson soon rediscovered her ruthless streak to break to love in the sixth game.
The world number 133 then held for 5-2 to move one game away from the win, and she took the first of two set points on Parrizas Diaz's serve to close a straight-sets win - posting 19 winners compared to just five for her opponent.
Dart would attempt to emulate her compatriot's sterling job in the next singles match versus Badosa, and bringing up three break points in the first game was the definition of a fast start.
Dart took the second of those opportunities to establish an early advantage, and she broke again in the seventh game to move 5-2 up and be presented with the chance to serve for the first set.
Badosa suddenly kicked into gear to break back and keep the first set alive, although she had seemingly ceded the set on a double fault before a correct challenge briefly saved her bacon.
Badosa's reprieve would not last long as Dart got the break she needed to go 1-0 up, and both players would spurn early break point opportunities in the second set.
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A resilient Dart continued to keep an increasingly frustrated Badosa at bay and brought up match point when the Spaniard netted a forehand on serve, and a stunning backhand return from the world number 98 sealed a 6-3 6-4 win over the former world number 2.
Barnett and Nicholls took the court against Bolsova and Masarova knowing that only a win would do if GB were to progress to the semi-finals, but it was a nervy start for the pair, who handed several break opportunities to the Spaniards early doors.
A tie-break would be needed in the first set, which Barnett and Nicholls edged to the delight of the home crowd, and the sting was certainly taken out of the Spaniards in the aftermath.
GB won four of the first five games in the second set - taking three breaks along the way - and they moved one game away from a place in the semi-finals after saving three break points to hold in the sixth game.
The Barnett forehand was working wonders for GB as they brought up a match point on deuce, but the 29-year-old then miscued one into the net on match point as Spain kept the contest alive for a little bit longer.
Barnett reacted quickest at the net to bring up a further four match points for GB on Nicholls's serve, and a carbon copy of that point for the home nation sealed a 7-6[5] 6-2 win and a place in the last four for the first time in 41 years.
Ben Knapton
