3 minute read
Emma Raducanu looked sharp after several weeks away from competitive action as she saw off the challenge of Jule Niemeier to give Great Britain a 1-0 lead over Germany in their Billie Jean King Cup tie in Malaga.
Katie Boulter followed that up with a 6-1 6-2 win against Laura Siegemund as the Brits sealed a 2-0 victory to set up a meeting with defending champions Canada in Sunday's quarter-finals.
Raducanu served 10 aces in her 6-4 6-4 win – although there were seven double faults and six match points as well.
"I think I played some really good tennis today," she said after the match. "I haven't played a match in a long time so I think these are small sharpness things that come. I'm very proud of how I managed to regroup and close out in that final game."
Later, Iga Swiatek helped Poland defeat home favourites Spain to set up a quarter-final against the Czech Republic.
This was Raducanu's first competitive outing in nearly two months after a foot injury forced her off the court.
She had the advantage on ranking over Niemeier, a powerful 25-year-old who reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals two years ago, sitting at 58 compared to her opponent's 92.
It was the higher-ranked Raducanu who made the first move, a fiercely struck forehand return earning her a break at 3-3.
The Briton then saved five break points in the next game to hold onto her lead, helped by four of the seven aces she served in the opening set.
Raducanu confidently served it out and then broke again to start the second, this time drilling a backhand return into the corner.
Raducanu was unable to prevent Niemeier retrieving the break but she went straight back on the offensive and opened up a 5-2 lead.
Finishing off matches has at times been a problem for Raducanu and she double-faulted on match point, with Niemeier going on to break, before seeing three more chances go begging on the German's serve.
Then, at the sixth time of asking Raducanu did finally make it across the line, bouncing up and down and pumping her fist to her team-mates.
Raducanu was then given an extra treat in the post match presentation as the vocal band that had been boosting the atmosphere with their trumpets broke into a birthday chorus to celebrate Raducanu's 22nd birthday, which she toasted last Wednesday.