Summary

  • Great Britain miss out on Billie Jean King Cup final after 2-1 loss to Slovakia

  • Heather Watson and Olivia Nicholls lose to Viktoria Hruncakova and Tereza Mihalikova in deciding doubles

  • Emma Raducanu beat Hruncakova in straight sets in first singles match

  • But Katie Boulter lost to Rebecca Sramkova to send tie to doubles

  • Slovakia will face Italy in Wednesday's final

  1. Sramkova holdspublished at 15:20 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2024

    *Boulter 6-2 4-6 4-5 Sramkova

    Katie Boulter almost catches Rebecca Sramkova out with a drooping forehand, but the Slovak gets the return away and Boulter finds the net.

    And there's the hold - sealed with an ace. Boulter will have to hold serve now if she's to avoid a deciding doubles for Great Britain.

  2. Postpublished at 15:20 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2024

    Boulter 6-2 4-6 4-4 Sramkova*

    Olga Savchuk
    Ukrainian former player on BBC Red Button

    Every single point so far in this game has been a real treat. The fans are loving it.

  3. Postpublished at 15:18 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2024

    Boulter 6-2 4-6 4-4 Sramkova*

    Shot! Katie Boulter looks like she's being run ragged by Rebecca Sramkova, but the British number one slots an angled forehand winner across the court - out of Sramkova's reach.

    The Slovak succeeds in exhausting Boulter in the next point before firing down an ace.

    But we go level at 30-30 as Boulter lands a crushing forehand down the line.

  4. Boulter holdspublished at 15:15 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2024

    Boulter 6-2 4-6 4-4 Sramkova*

    Katie Boulter animatedly points to her head. She needs to keep her concentration here.

    And she does. The British number one makes sure her shots find the court and she waits for Rebecca Sramkova to slip up.

  5. Rafa starts!published at 15:12 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2024

    Jonathan Jurejko
    BBC Sport in Malaga

    Amid all this tension of the BJK Cup, there is also something rather significant happening over the road at the Palacio de Deportes.

    The Rafa retirement roadshow is cranking up.

    Word has just reached us that 38-year-old Nadal, who is calling time on his illustrious career after the Davis Cup, will play in the singles for Spain.

    What part the 22-time major champion would play in today's quarter-final against the Netherlands was unknown.

    But he gets the nod to play in the singles, and not the doubles it seems, in what is going to be a momentous occasion.

  6. Postpublished at 15:10 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2024

    *Boulter 6-2 4-6 3-4 Sramkova

    Sue Thearle
    Tennis commentator on BBC Red Button

    Every game right now is so priceless.

    Katie Boulter having to play catch-up tennis for the past two sets - you're constantly having that stress of the scoreboard.

  7. Sramkova holdspublished at 15:10 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2024

    *Boulter 6-2 4-6 3-4 Sramkova

    There's so much aggression in both player's hitting, but Rebecca Sramkova comes out on top there.

    Katie Boulter is constantly having to play catch-up.

  8. Boulter holdspublished at 15:07 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2024

    Boulter 6-2 4-6 3-3 Sramkova*

    Rebecca Sramkova flings her racquet up in the air in frustration as she as pushes a forehand into the fence.

    Katie Boulter stays patient in the rallies, allowing her opponent to make the first error, but the Slovak claws a point back by bringing down an overhead with wicked pace.

    Boulter replies with a fierce forehand of her own, pinching the line perfectly. Sramkova can't believe that's in and she mutters away angrily after letting her lead slip.

  9. Postpublished at 15:02 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2024

    *Boulter 6-2 4-6 2-3 Sramkova

    Sue Thearle
    Tennis commentator on BBC Red Button

    Boulter sensing the urgency that is required - and she is finding it.

    A fantastic fightback. An exhilarating return game from her when she needed it most.

  10. Boulter breaks backpublished at 15:02 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2024

    *Boulter 6-2 4-6 2-3 Sramkova

    That miss allowed Rebecca Sramkova back into the game, but the Slovak can't take advantage of Katie Boulter's slip up and the British number one screams in delight as she fires a brutal forehand at her opponent, who can't get the return away.

    We're back on serve. Again. Can Boulter back it up this time?

  11. Break points Boulterpublished at 14:59 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2024

    Boulter 6-2 4-6 1-3 Sramkova*

    That's better! Katie Boulter mutters away to herself in between points before sending down a series of winners.

    She's got the chance to get the break over the line, and she has the whole court to aim for as she arrives at the net, but she pushes the ball long and wide. A terrible miss.

    She's got two more chances, though.

  12. Postpublished at 14:56 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2024

    Boulter 6-2 4-6 1-3 Sramkova*

    Olga Savchuk
    Ukrainian former player on BBC Red Button

    Absolutely speechless! How did she find that backhand down the line?!

    She's feeling it right now.

  13. Sramkova breakspublished at 14:56 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2024

    Boulter 6-2 4-6 1-3 Sramkova*

    Katie Boulter is in trouble.

    It's a blistering backhand winner from Rebecca Sramkova that wraps up the break and Boulter could only watch it fizz by.

    The Slovak is on a roll.

  14. Break points Sramkovapublished at 14:54 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2024

    *Boulter 6-2 4-6 1-2 Sramkova

    It's not even a bad serve from Katie Boulter, but the return is superb from Rebecca Sramkova - almost weaving its way around the net and back onto the court.

    It goes from bad to worse for Boulter as the unforced errors heap up and she hands Sramkova three break points.

  15. Postpublished at 14:54 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2024

    *Boulter 6-2 4-6 1-2 Sramkova

    Olga Savchuk
    Ukrainian former player on BBC Red Button

    You just feel Sramkova is on the right track, her mind is very clear with what she has to do. Even if she does miss, she is still doing all of the right things.

    Katie Boulter has to find a way to dictate again.

  16. Postpublished at 14:53 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2024

    *Boulter 6-2 4-6 1-2 Sramkova

    Sue Thearle
    Tennis commentator on BBC Red Button

    It's been a muscular effort by Sramkova to get herself into this third set and she looks awfully dangerous in it as well.

  17. Sramkova holds to lovepublished at 14:52 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2024

    *Boulter 6-2 4-6 1-2 Sramkova

    There's no stopping Rebecca Sramkova at the moment.

    She has her Slovakia team-mates and coaches on their feet as she deftly touches over a delightful drop shot before powering on to a love hold.

    This is going to be anything but easy for Katie Boulter.

  18. Boulter holdspublished at 14:50 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2024

    Boulter 6-2 4-6 1-1 Sramkova*

    Katie Boulter takes Rebecca Sramkova out of the point by firing a forehand wide. The Slovak gets there but Boulter is at the net to dink home an acrobatic backhand winner.

    Very nicely done and it's a big hold to start the second set for the British number one.

    Katie BoulterImage source, Getty Images
  19. Postpublished at 14:47 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2024

    *Boulter 6-2 4-6 0-1 Sramkova

    Katie Boulter is trying to pump herself up again after losing that second set and there's an enormous roar every time she wins a point.

    There's too much power on that forehand, though, and it goes long. 30-30.

  20. Sramkova holdspublished at 14:44 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2024

    *Boulter 6-2 4-6 0-1 Sramkova

    Katie Boulter does well with Rebecca Sramkova's serve, pulling level at 30-30.

    But she lets that forehand fly wide and the Slovak refuses to let Boulter back in, wrapping up the hold.