Superb Raducanu leads Britain to BJK Cup Finals after win over France

LONDON: Former U.S. Open winner Emma Raducanu completed a remarkable weekend as she beat France’s Diana Parry to send Britain into the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Le Portel on Saturday.

Raducanu, ranked 302nd in the world as she continues her comeback from double wrist surgery, withstood an incredible Parry fightback to seal a 4-6 6-1 7-6(1) win.

Katie Boulter had earlier beaten Clara Burel 7-5 6-0 to put Britain 2-1 ahead before Raducanu finished the job with her second impressive win of the tie. Britain’s first-ever win over France away was all the more notable as it was on clay which is a surface not ideally suited to either Boulter or Raducanu.

They now go through to the 12-nation finals in Spain later in the year where they will be joined by the other winners from the weekend’s qualifiers including Australia and Poland. Australia were too strong for Mexico, winning 4-0, while Poland, with world number one Iga Swiatek posting a couple of singles wins, crushed Switzerland 4-0.