Czechia beat Great Britain 2-0 in the Billie Jean King Cup quarter-finals in Shenzhen, with Marie Bouzkova defeating Sonay Kartal 7-6 (7-2), 4-6, 6-4 and Linda Nosková then beating Katie Boulter 6-2, 7-6 (3). Sonay Kartal and Katie Boulter lost their respective singles matches as Great Britain were beaten by a strong Czech Republic side. Kartal produced a gritty performance after returning to tennis after six months out with a lower back injury, but she fell to a narrow 7-6 (7-2) 4-6 6-4 defeat in a marathon three-hour encounter with Marie Bouzkova.
It was a second successive loss for Boulter at the hands of a Czech player, coming just three weeks after a 58-minute demolition by Karolina Muchova at the US Open. The Czech Republic will face either Kazakhstan or Spain in Friday’s semi-finals after the 2-0 win over Great Britain.
Linda Nosková served an ace on her first match point to beat Katie Boulter 6-2, 7-6 (3) and seal Czechia’s place in the last four, after Bouzkova had put Czechia ahead with a 7-6 (2), 4-6, 6-4 win over Sonay Kartal.
Nosková outplayed Boulter 6-2 7-6 (7-3) to send her nation into the semi-finals.
The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reported that Nosková produced 15 aces to Boulter’s four, and it said Bouzkova beat Kartal earlier to complete the 2-0 lead.
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Noskova produced 15 aces to Boulter’s four. Reported by Source: Bozeman Daily Chronicle.
Anne Keothavong said, “For both these players [Boulter and Kartal], it required their absolute best and a bit of luck for the result to go our way.”
Anne Keothavong also said, “I can’t fault their efforts. I think the Czechs are the strongest team here.”
Czechia’s quarter-final win ensured the team would reach the Billie Jean King Cup semifinals for the first time since 2023, and it set up a Friday semi-final against either Spain or Kazakhstan. The Czech Republic will face either Kazakhstan or Spain in Friday’s semi-finals. The Bozeman Daily Chronicle said the semifinals will be against either Spain or Kazakhstan, and it added that the other quarterfinals feature two-time defending champion Italy vs.
It was the first time since 2023 that Britain have failed to reach the semi-finals at the Billie Jean King Cup, and it said their wait for a maiden title will go on for another year. Great Britain were led by Anne Keothavong’s team as underdogs, with all five Czech players placed higher in the singles rankings than any of the British squad.