Gamble from Keothavong pays off as GB go through

TENNIS: British Fed Cup Captain Anne Keothavong took a major gamble in her first tournament in charge — and it narrowly paid off to gain promotion for her team.

Faced with a deciding rubber in their EuroAfrican Zone play-off against Croatia in the Estonian capital of Tallinn, Keothavong ditched her established doubles team of Laura Robson and Scottish player Jocelyn Rae and paired up more experienced singles players Jo Konta and Heather Watson.

After a major scare against Croatia’s Darijua Jurak and Ana Konjuh, the GB partnership came through 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 to see the country through to April’s World Group II play-offs.