SWEDE & SOUR
Brits face battle as Boulter levels after Burrage blow
KATIE BOULTER admitted Great Britain face a “battle” against underdogs Sweden today after Jodie Burrage suffered a nightmare defeat on her Billie Jean King Cup debut.
Burrage won the first four games against world No.372 Kajsa Rinaldo Persson before collapsing to a 6-4 6-1 loss in the sold-out Copper Box Arena.
Boulter then responded by thrashing Swedish No.2 and world No.532 Caijsa Hennemann 6-2 6-1 to leave the play-off at 1-1 going into the reverse singles and the doubles.
And British No.1 Boulter said: “We’ve got a battle going into tomorrow.
These girls have got nothing to lose. They’re coming out and having a swing and you can see how well they play.
“They’ve got no pressure at all. It’s my job to do what I can and I know that girls are going to do what they can and we’re going to fight our little hearts out for it.
“Jodie is a tough cookie and she will be back.”
Great Britain were heavy favourites with two players in the top 100 and no Swedish players ranked in the top 370.
Burrage had raced into a 4-0 lead against the Swedish No.1 – and then lost 12 of the next 13 games.
The world No.93 fought back tears as she admitted: “It is tough to take.
“Even the nerves before, I have not felt like that before, ever. Even stepping out on Centre Court at Wimbledon. It doesn’t even compare to this. It is so different playing for yourself and playing for your team.
“That is why it hurts even more because I am hurting for other people. I gave everything I had today and I just wasn’t good enough.”
GB captain Anne Keothavong will now have to decide whether to give Burrage another chance in the reverse singles – or call in doubles players
Harriet Dart or Heather Watson.
Meanwhile, Jack Draper lost his first ATP Tour final 7-6 2-6 6-3 to fellow lefthander Adrian Mannarino at the Sofia Open.
The British No.4, who won his fifth Challenger Tour title in Italy last week, had not lost a set as he extended his winning streak to nine matches.
But the Frenchman had too much for his third ATP title of the season.