Posted: 11:56, 16 April 2022 | Updated: 18:03, 16 April 2022
The expected blow to Britain from the Czech Republic never materialized, nor was it a rare injury-free event for Emma Raducanu.
GB No. 1 was sluggish on Saturday, this time from blisters on its feet, as Anne Keothavong’s team lost a respectable 3-2 defeat on the ground in this playoff to reach the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in November. .
Falling to a decisive double was a closer outcome than could have been anticipated, although one downside was the US Open lack of physical endurance that was once again revealed.
Emma Raducanu struggled as she was crushed by Marketa Vondrousova (L) from the Czech Republic
Having played well to win her singles on Friday, the Kent teenager lost 6-1, 6-1 to Marketa Vondrousova, who gave her something like a training in the art of tennis.
The unusual type of movement required on the clay brought the blisters to Raducanu.
She had talked about losing her nails, but later it turned out that the blisters were already worrying before it started.
So limited are the play resources is the toy of the British women who sent it anyway. It has always been possible to lose a case against an exponent of such a high category as Vodrusova, the finalist of the French Open 2019, which prevailed almost in the winter cold.
While Raducanu is under tremendous pressure as it struggles to respond to its sudden triumph in New York, it is understandable that defeats are often accompanied by some physical setback or something else. Specifically he said he would look into the reasons behind the foot problems.
“I’m definitely had some blisters on my feet in the past, but I think it has to do with a lot of things,” he said.
Saturday’s victory over Vodrusova challenged the Czech Republic 2-1 and later won 3-2
“Well, I will go and evaluate all my options in all sorts of foot scenarios. “Because it has happened several times now and we have to erase it in the beginning.”
He added that the blister made her feel “unnecessary” on the field: “Somehow she appeared after yesterday’s match. We were handling it, but I could not move or load it in any way.
“It simply came to our notice then. This morning it was in pretty good condition. I was training and it definitely just got worse gradually at the end of training towards the race.
He is going to play this week at the WTA event in Stuttgart: “I will do my best to prepare as best I can. I hope to make it there and play. “But I can not say for sure either way.”
Chief Anne Keothavong knew Raducanu had a potential problem, but said: “Unfortunately it felt worse as the match progressed. She is still young, she has not completed a whole year of touring.
“It takes time to get used to life on tour and become more resilient. She definitely needs to get stronger, that’s no secret, she knows it. She is working on it, she will find a way that suits her “.
Harriet Dart had brought Great Britain to a close after beating 16-year-old Linda Fruhvirtova
Raducanu admits it needs to sort out injuries that affected its performance
Radukanu, who has never played a professional doubles match, stood in the decisive tire and saw the incomparable Harriet Dart and Katie Swan lose 6-1, 7-5 to Vodrusova and Carolina Mutsova in his late-night cool.
GB’s huge stock of male dual players is not reproduced in females. It seemed strange that none of the six top-ranked doubles players was selected as an option, although in reality it was unlikely that they would have made much of a difference to a quality pair: “We have to work with what we have,” said Keothavong. .
The decisive double was formed by Dart, after a change in the choice of the Czech Republic that saw 16-year-old Linda Fruhvirtova, for whom a great future is predicted, enter the battle.
The result was a boomerang as England No. 2 appeared with great confidence, beating it 6-0, 5-7, 6-2, bringing the necessary composure to a tense decision.
GB could still qualify for the Final with 12 teams, as it is one of the many candidates to host it in November, and if this proves successful, then the team will have a wildcard guaranteed for the hosts to enter.
