World No. 12 Emma Raducanu has promised to give her best and try to lead Great Britain to a victory over the Czech Republic in a Billie Jean King Cup qualifying tie.
Raducanu, the top-ranked British tennis player, is set to make her Billie Jean King Cup singles debut this Friday when she takes on Tereza Martincova on a clay surface in Prague.
In the opening rubber of the tie, Harriet Dart will take on Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Marketa Vondrousova.
“We’re here to get through to the Finals and we’re all prepared to fight hard and give our absolute best,” Raducanu said, per Sportskeeda. “We may be the underdogs, but I know the fighting spirit we have and anything can happen.”
Raducanu: We may be the underdogs but we will leave it all out there
The Czech team is missing Grand Slam champions Barbora Krejcikova, Petra Kvitova, as well as two-time Grand Slam finalist Karolina Pliskova.
Still, Raducanu thinks the Czechs are the favorites to win their tie.
“This is definitely a different experience and environment to what I am used to,” Raducanu added. “Being in a team is very rare in an individual sport, so it is very nice to play in a team. The atmosphere we have got going off the court is amazing.
“Every single one of us – players and support staff – has really been putting it in and doing their best. I feel like we are gelling very well off the court and, no matter what the result is this weekend, we have all done our absolute best to prepare to the maximum.”
Meanwhile, British team captain Anne Keothavong is confident Raducanu can lead the team this weekend.
“A lot has happened over the past year and Emma’s success has been highlighted,” Keothavong said. “We’ve seen what she’s been able to achieve in such a short space of time. We’re going into the unknown a little bit and there has been something of a changing of the guard. I’m sure Emma will embrace her position, lead the team by example and really grow into that role in the years to come.”