Fed Cup 2019: Great Britain hoping to break curse on home soil

Britain have not broached the Fed Cup’s elite 16-nation World Group since 1993

Anne Keothovang will captain Britain (Getty)

John Major was Prime Minister, the European single market had just been created, Bill Clinton was at the start of his first term as US President and Monica Seles and Pete Sampras were world No 1s in tennis when Britain last staged a Fed Cup tie.

Now, 26 years after Monique Javer, Clare Wood, Amanda Grunfeld and Julie Salmon secured a 3-0 victory over Turkey in Nottingham, a team of British women can once again enjoy the experience of representing their country in front of home supporters.

Johanna Konta, Katie Boulter, Heather Watson, Harriet Dart and Katie Swan will be flying the flag here at the University of Bath as Britain start their perennial attempt to return to the Fed Cup’s elite 16-nation World Group for the first time since 1993.

Britain are one of 15 countries playing in pool matches in Europe/Africa Zone Group One this week. Seven countries are playing in Poland, while Britain are joined in Bath by Slovenia, Greece and Hungary, who will be their round-robin opponents on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday respectively. Serbia, Croatia, Georgia and Turkey meet here in a second round-robin group.

The winners of the two round-robin pools in Bath will meet on Saturday to decide which nation goes through to a playoff in April for a place in next year’s World Group Two. Britain have made that playoff stage in four of the last seven years only to lose to Sweden, Argentina, Romania and Japan, who all had home advantage.

The International Tennis Federation has been discussing possible changes to the Fed Cup’s convoluted format. Anne Keothavong, Britain’s captain, is a big supporter of change.

“I don’t know how to explain the stress and the emotions that we all feel as a team to get through a week like this,” Keothavong said.

“It takes a lot out of the players and that shouldn’t be underestimated. The format is something I’ve spoken about in the past which can be frustrating. I feel very strongly about Fed Cup and Davis Cup coming in line with each other.”

Temporary stands, with seating for 1,800 and 300 people respectively, have been built around the two competition courts here at the Sports Training Village and Britain’s three matches are already sold out.

Keothovang is a supporter of mooted changes to the Fed Cup’s formula (Getty)

“A lot of effort has been put in to get this event here,” Anne Keothavong, Britain’s captain, said. “I know the players are excited about playing in front of a home crowd. To play in front of a full capacity crowd is something we have always wanted as a team and now we have that opportunity. Everyone is fit and ready and everyone is ready to rise to the challenge and embrace the home support.”

Andy Murray raised concerns last month about the declining numbers of people playing tennis in Britain. Sport England figures show that that the number of regular players fell by 59,000 in the 10 years to 2016 from 457,200 to 398,100. Keothavong said that bringing an event like this to a part of the country which has not staged top-flight tennis before should help to raise the sport’s profile, as should BT Sport’s television coverage.

“We’re trying to open our sport up to as many people as possible,” she said. “If we can inspire kids with events like this to take up the game I think it’s a win for everyone. You all know the participation figures and everyone’s aware of that, but I do think events like this help raise the profile of women’s tennis. That’s something we should all get excited about because the depth of women’s tennis in this country is as strong as it’s ever been.”

Each match comprises two singles rubbers and one doubles rubber. Keothavong declined to reveal her line-up for the opening day, but Konta and Boulter are expected to be her first-choice singles players, with Watson and Dart likely to play doubles.

Johanna Konta will lead the Brits in their pool (Getty)

Britain will be favourites to top their pool, especially as Hungary are without their best player, Timea Babos, though Greece’s team includes Maria Sakkari, the world No 38. Croatia will be favourites to win the other pool with a team that includes Donna Vekic, the world No 25, and Ana Konjuh, a former world No 20 who is returning from injury.

Konta said she was in a positive frame of mind after her performances at the Australian Open, where she eventually lost to Garbine Muguruza in one of the matches of the tournament.

“Fed Cup is always a little bit different,” Konta said. “The general emotions, the general vibe is very different from a normal tournament, so I will definitely look to enjoy that and draw on the experiences of the last Fed Cup ties I have played.

“I think it’s nice that we didn’t have to get on a plane to get here. We just drove down. That was a different experience and it will be a different experience playing in front of a home crowd and something we have never experienced. So I think overall I’m just looking forward to the whole week and we will try and be in a position on Saturday to play for a World Group Two play-off.”