WHERE NEXT FOR JO & CO?

IT HAS taken 26 years, but Great Britain’s women are finally back on a similar level to that reached in 1993 by a team that featured Jo Durie, Clare Wood and Sara Gomer. And in truth they are now on a higher plain, because back then the World Group comprised of 32 teams playing in Frankfurt all together over one week, with GB going out of the first round. Exactly where yesterday’s 3-1 victory in this promotion play-off leaves Anne Keothavong’s team cannot be exactly known, but as it stands they are at World Group level among the top 16 nations of women’s tennis. The reason for the uncertainty is that during the French Open next month the International Tennis Federation will discuss a long-awaited move to revamp the structure of the Fed Cup. What may emerge for next year is a new version of the finals week, featuring 12 teams. That may mean GB will have to play a qualifying round next February either home or away to try to secure a place. Among the things to be determined are where this Fed Cup finals week might take place, and all the new money coming into the women’s game suggests it would be somewhere in Asia. Ultimately, winning yesterday was the best argument for a seat at the table. Keothavong said she had yet to be formally consulted on the mooted changes. ‘Right now the most important thing is to enjoy the moment and whatever the ITF decide will be,’ she said. Meanwhile in China, Derby’s Jay Clarke moved to a career-high ranking of around 160 when he defeated India’s Prajnesh Gunneswaran 6-4, 6-3 yesterday to win the £100,000 Kunming Open, a title that should secure him a lucrative Wimbledon wildcard.