Great Britain's Billie Jean King Cup campaign has ended in the quarter-finals following defeats for Sonay Kartal and Katie Boulter against the Czech Republic. The British team, led by Anne Keothavong, were considered underdogs for the tie.
Sonay Kartal, returning to tennis after a six-month absence due to a lower back injury, put in a determined performance but ultimately lost 7-6 (7-2) 4-6 6-4 to Marie Bouzkova in a match lasting exactly three hours. Kartal had not played since retiring injured at Indian Wells in March.
Katie Boulter was subsequently beaten 6-2 7-6 (7-3) by Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova, securing the Czech Republic's progression. This marks Boulter's second consecutive loss to a Czech player, following a defeat by Karolina Muchova at the US Open three weeks prior.
The Czech Republic, 11-time winners of the tournament, will now face either Kazakhstan or Spain in the semi-finals on Friday. This result means Great Britain's wait for a maiden Billie Jean King Cup title will continue for another year, having failed to reach the semi-finals for the first time since 2023.