CZECH MATE AS EMMA BEATEN BY BLISTERS
BRITAIN’S expected battering by the Czech Republic never materialised, and nor did a rare injuryfree event for Emma Raducanu.
The GB No 1 was subdued yesterday, this time by foot blisters, as Anne Keothavong’s team fell to a respectable 3-2 defeat on clay in this playoff to make November’s finals of the Billie Jean King Cup.
That it went down to a deciding doubles match was a closer outcome than might have been predicted, although a downside was the US Open champion’s lack of physical durability being exposed once again.
Having played excellently to win her singles on Friday, the Kent teenager was hobbled in losing 6-1, 6-1 to Marketa Vondrousova, who gave her something of a schooling in the art of clay-court tennis.
The unaccustomed type of movement required on clay brought on the blisters for Raducanu.
She had spoken of losing her toenails but it later emerged that blisters were already a concern before the start.
So limited are the playing resources in the British women’s game that she was sent out there anyway. It was always likely to be a lost cause against such a highclass exponent as Vondrousova, the 2019 French Open finalist, who prevailed in almost wintry cold.
While Raducanu is under immense pressure as she tries to live up to her sudden triumph in New York, understandably enough, it is notable that defeats are often accompanied by some physical setback or other. Specifically she said she would be looking at the reasons behind foot problems.
‘I have had a few blisters on my feet before for sure but I think it’s related to numerous things,’ she said.
‘So I’m just going to go and evaluate all my options in all sorts of feet scenarios. Because this has happened quite a few times now and we need to nip it in the bud.’
She added that the blister made her feel ‘redundant’ on court: ‘It kind of showed up after yesterday’s match. We’ve been managing it but I couldn’t really move or load either way. Now it’s just about trying to get it better as soon as possible. This morning it was in pretty good condition. I practised and it definitely just got progressively worse throughout the end of practice towards the match.’
She is due to be playing this coming week at the WTA event in Stuttgart: ‘I’m going to do everything I can to prepare as best as possible. Hopefully I can make it there and play. But I can’t say for certain either way.’
Captain Keothavong was aware that Raducanu had a potential problem, but said: “Unfortunately she felt it get worse as the match wore on. She is still young, she hasn’t completed a full year on tour yet. It does take time to get used to life on the tour and become more robust. She certainly needs to become more robust, that is no secret, she knows that. She is working on it, she will figure out a way that works for her.’
Raducanu, who has never played a professional doubles match, sat out the deciding rubber, which saw the overmatched Harriet Dart and Katie Swan go down 6-1, 7-5 to Vondrousova and Karolina Muchova in the chill of the late afternoon.
GB’s formidable stock of male doubles players is not replicated among the women. It seemed strange that none of the six highest ranked female doubles players were picked as an option, although in reality it was unlikely to have made much difference against a quality pairing.
‘We have to work with what we’ve got,’ said Keothavong.
The deciding doubles was set up by Dart, after a change to the Czech selection that saw 16 year-old Linda Fruhvirtova, for whom a great future is predicted, thrown in to the fray.
It backfired as the GB No 2 emerged with great credit, defeating her 6-0, 5-7, 6-2, summoning up the necessary composure in a tense decider.
GB could yet still qualify for the 12-team finals event as Britain are one of several bidders to host it in November, and if that proved successful then the team would be guaranteed a hosts’ entry wildcard.
BRITAIN’S Joe Salisbury and his American partner Rajeev Ram reached the Monte Carlo men’s doubles final with a comeback win over fellow Briton Jamie Murray and Rohan Bopanna, 3-6, 7-6, 11-9.
It is Salisbury’s first final since becoming world doubles No 1, and came despite his receiving a code violation for ball abuse.