Raducanu wins maiden Billie Jean King Cup match; Dart defeated

Emma Raducanu has made a winning start to her Billie Jean King Cup career and won her first professional match on clay with a 7-5 7-5 victory over Czech Republic's Tereza Martincova.

Raducanu's victory ensured Britain ended the first day of play level at 1-1 at the Cesky club in Prague, following Harriet Dart's earlier 6-1 6-0 defeat to Marketa Vondrousova.

The 19-year-old British No 1 had not played a match on clay since the French Open Juniors in 2018, but rose to the challenge impressively.

Raducanu had to show all her battling qualities, saving a set point at 4-5 in the opening set and then fighting back from 1-4 down in the second to give Anne Keothavong's team hope.

"This one means so much to me," Raducanu said on-court after her victory.

"It's my first Billie Jean King Cup match and to represent my team on a clay court, in my first professional match on clay, it's really amazing.

"We're still in this, we're still in this battle and it's all to play for tomorrow."

The pressure was on Raducanu after Dart's 55-minute thrashing by Vondrousova.

The teenager learned as she went on the surface, saving a set point after dropping serve in the eighth game and taking the first set with a run of three straight games.

Raducanu dipped at the start of the season set, admitting herself that she went a little 'flat'. The result was her going two breaks down at 0-3 and 1-4 in blustery conditions.

But Martincova was clearly feeling the occasion and Raducanu demonstrated her battling spirit once again to fight back, winning six of the last seven games.

"The team had my back 100 per cent, as we had Harriet's back this morning," Raducanu said. "It's amazing to be in a team competition when everything is so individual in this sport.

Ga