SLO BLOW

Raducanu shines as Britain slump

- NEIL Mc in Malaga

THE good news for British tennis is Emma Raducanu finished the Billie Jean King Cup finals unbeaten and is raring to go next season.

But the bad news is her GB team-mates could not show the same big-match temperament in the women’s World Cup of tennis as they failed to seize a great chance to reach the final.

Captain Anne Keothavong, whose management style is inspired by Gareth Southgate, saw her team benefit from a favourable draw and still lose in the semi-finals.

The 2002 champions Slovakia were the smallest nation in the finals here in Spain and their No.1 player Rebecca Sramkova is ranked world No.43. And Great Britain had been the strong favourites to reach the final for the first time since 1981 before collapsing in sight of the line.

It was an anti-climactic end to such a promising tournament which had started with two convincing wins and confident talk of smashing Britain’s 61-year hoodoo.