GB miss out on BJK Cup final after 2-0 loss to US

Captain Anne Keothavong said her Great Britain side "threw everything at it but came up short" after a 2-0 loss to the United States in the Billie Jean King Cup semi-finals extended their wait for a maiden title.

Katie Boulter needed to beat world number seven Jessica Pegula to keep Britain in the tie after a battling Sonay Kartal lost to Emma Navarro in the first singles match.

But after Boulter took the first set, Pegula fought back to win 3-6 6-4 6-2 in Shenzhen and secure a 31st appearance in the final for Lindsay Davenport's team.

Boulter and Kartal - who lost 3-6 6-4 6-3 to Navarro, a player ranked more than 60 places above her - were left to rue missed chances in two tight matches.

Both players left multiple break points unconverted in the second and third sets - Boulter only won two out of seven - and lost service games either side of breaks to invite pressure back on themselves.

"It's really tough today," Keothavong said. "The players should still hold their heads high. I think we really took it to the American team.

"You could see how much it meant to the players. They threw everything at it but came up short.

"It wasn't to be this time."

The US, the most successful team in the competition's history with 18 titles, will face defending champions Italy in Sunday's final.

Great Britain have lost in the semi-finals three times in the past four years while their most recent final appearance came in 1981.

"We've come such a long way," Keothavong added. "We've showed consistency in recent years, challenging the very best.

"Our ambition is to lift that trophy one day. To lift that trophy, you've got to beat some of the best."

Pegula fights from set down to beat Boulter

Boulter sits 55th in the WTA rankings

Boulter, who had previously beaten Pegula at the 2024 United Cup, has an excellent record when representing Great Britain and, after comfortably winning the opening set, an 18th win in 24 matches for her country beckoned.

The 29-year-old gave up few opportunities on her serve, winning 13 of her 15 first-serve points and saving the only break point she faced, while also twice breaking her opponent's serve.

But her standard dropped in the second set, with four double faults contributing to back-to-back service game losses early on. Although she responded to the first, she couldn't prevent Pegula forcing a decider.

The third set played out in frustratingly similar fashion for Boulter, losing three consecutive service games and only breaking back once to find herself 5-2 down before Pegula converted her first match point to send US through.

"I'm actually at a stage where I expect myself to win those matches, which is why they hurt more," world number 55 Boulter said.

"That's a good thing. It shows the level I'm at.

"I'm pleased with myself and how I put myself out there."

Comeback queen Navarro outlasts battling Kartal

Sonay Kartal had won her previous three Billie Jean King Cup matches

This has been a breakout year for world number 82 Kartal, notably reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon, and she was eyeing her third win of the year against a player ranked inside the top 20.

Despite the disparity in their rankings, she matched American world number 18 Navarro all the way, with both players winning 89 points.

However, the composure of Navarro, who saved two match points against Kazakhstan in the quarter-finals, to save two break points in the opening game of the third set proved crucial.

After losing her opening service game, Kartal dominated the first set, controlling the baseline exchanges, utilising her athleticism and the full width of the court, and converting all three of her break points. Her confidence was on full display when nailed a smashed winner to seal the set in style with a hold to love.

She broke twice more in the second set but was increasingly error-prone, with Navarro pegging her back on both occasions before pouncing on her second set point to take the match to a decider.

After surviving a scare early in the final set, the American won eight consecutive points to take a 5-2 lead, Kartal was unable to mastermind a comeback of her own.

"I'm super gutted, but happy with how I performed and carried myself on the court," Kartal added.

'Keothavong could not have asked for more' - analysis

By Russell Fuller, BBC tennis correspondent

Keothavong could not have asked for much more from Kartal and Boulter.

They threw everything at two higher-ranked Americans, who were ultimately just slightly better - and displayed sharper execution and greater staying power in the two deciding sets.

Boulter has had a tricky season, but played with confidence and conviction this week. She will be hoping to translate that into success on the WTA Tour, which will remain in Asia for the final six weeks of the season.

Reaching three semi-finals in four years, and number two in the Billie Jean King Cup rankings, shows this team are doing a lot right, especially as they have not had any top-20 singles players or a tried-and-tested doubles partnership to call on.

They may never be competition favourites, but if Emma Raducanu can also make herself available, they will be a team not to be messed with.

Perhaps one of these years all the pieces of the jigsaw will fall nicely into place.