Gritty Kartal gives GB lead in Billie Jean King Cup

- Advertisement -spot_imgspot_img
- Advertisement -spot_imgspot_img

Sonay Kartal ground her way to victory over Eva Vedder to give Great Britain a 1-0 lead over the Netherlands in Billie Jean King Cup qualifying.

World number 60 Kartal let the second set slip from her grasp but recovered to beat Vedder 6-4 4-6 6-1 on the clay in The Hague.

The winner of the best-of-three tie will advance to September’s eight-team finals in Shenzhen, China.

British number one Katie Boulter can seal Great Britain’s place if she beats Suzan Lamens in the second singles match, before Olivia Nicholls and Harriet Dart face Lamens and Demi Schuurs in the doubles.

Great Britain beat Germany 2-1 on Friday, with both Kartal and Boulter claiming victory in the singles.

Kartal, who made her national-team debut against Germany, showed composure after missing a host of opportunities in the second set.

She came back from an early break down in the first set, hitting 11 winners to Vedder’s seven as she outmuscled her in the forehand exchanges.

Kartal should have broken world number 265 Vedder in the first game of the second set, missing three break opportunities before rattling through her own service games with ease.

However, she was not helped at 4-3 up when umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore incorrectly overruled an out call on a Vedder forehand.

Had it not been overruled, Kartal would have had a break point. Instead, the point was replayed, Vedder held serve and then broke Kartal in the next game.

Vedder played her best tennis in the final two games of the second set, drawing errors out of Kartal before wrapping up the set with an ace.

The Briton put her frustration aside for the third set, quickly going a break up and putting her heavy forehand to good use to win the final five games in a row.

- Advertisement -spot_imgspot_img
Latest news
- Advertisement -spot_img
Related news
- Advertisement -spot_img