Billie Jean King Cup: Great Britain knocked out at quarter-final stage vs Czech Republic as Katie Boulter, Sonay Kartal beaten

Anne Keothavong's side were bidding to reach the last four for the fourth time in five years but were considerable underdogs and defeats for Sonay Kartal and Katie Boulter sealed their fate.

Led by Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova, the whole Czech team is ranked higher than any of Britain's players, and it was Noskova who sealed victory with a 6-2 7-6 (7-3) win over Boulter.

That followed a lengthy struggle between Marie Bouzkova and Kartal lasting a minute short of three hours, which the Czech eventually took 7-6 (7-2) 4-6 6-4.

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. I can't fault their efforts. I think the Czechs are the strongest team here. I'd be surprised if they don't go on to win this competition."

It was a fine effort from Kartal, who was playing her first match in six months after suffering a stress fracture in her back in Indian Wells in March and she will now hope to finish the season strongly.

The Czechs will bid for their seventh title in the competition since 2011 while Britain's hopes of lifting the trophy for the first time are over for another year.

Keothavong's team have over-performed in the Billie Jean King Cup in recent years and did so again by reaching the finals, with an under-strength team upsetting Australia in April.

Neither Kartal nor Boulter were available for that tie, with the former in the early stages of an injury break that would eventually see her miss the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.

Kartal found her range immediately against 26th-ranked Bouzkova, who has had a very good season, but could not convert a 40-0 lead in the third game to make it 3-0 and was edged out in a first-set tie-break.

She fought back well in the second set, often dictating the play against Bouzkova, who was preferred to Wimbledon finalist Karolina Muchova.

When Kartal broke to lead 2-1 in the deciding set, she appeared to be in the ascendancy, but fatigue seemed to catch up with the 24-year-old as Bouzkova reeled off four games in a row.

Kartal, now ranked down at 127, hung on grimly, saving three match points and breaking the Bouzkova serve, but she could not quite get back on level terms.

Bouzkova was full of admiration for Kartal, saying: "I think she played incredible. I think not playing for half a year and coming out the way she did... huge respect for her. The last time she played, she played really well. It seems like she kept the momentum going even with a half-year break. It was a big battle. I think she played well. Hopefully she can stay healthy."

That left Boulter with the formidable task of trying to beat world No 6 Noskova, who claimed her first grand slam title at SW19 in July.

Boulter struggled with her serve in losing the opening four games but she has a very good record playing for her country and thereafter there was little to choose between the players.

But Noskova served brilliantly in the tie-break to lead the Czechs into the semi-finals for the first time since 2023.

Great Britain to face Germany in quarter-finals of Davis Cup

Great Britain will play Alexander Zverev's Germany in the quarter-finals of the Davis Cup in November.

Britain booked their return to the eight-team Finals, this year held in Bologna, over the weekend with a 4-0 victory against Ecuador at London's Copper Box.

It is the first time Leon Smith's side have reached the eight-team end-of-season event since 2023, when they fell at the first hurdle to Novak Djokovic's Serbia.

The 2015 champions will have their work cut out to avoid the same fate given Zverev has shown a strong commitment to the competition, heading straight from winning his second Grand Slam title of the year at the US Open to Halle to help Germany defeat Croatia.

The Germans also have a very strong doubles pair in US Open finalists Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz, but Zverev is their only top-50 singles player, which should give Britain encouragement.

Smith already knows he will be without Jack Draper, with the former world No 4 calling an end to his season because of an ongoing arm problem, but he will hope to have both Arthur Fery and Cameron Norrie available.

Norrie was a last-minute withdrawal against Ecuador because of a minor injury but Fery and debutant Toby Samuel won their singles matches before Britain's strong doubles team of Henry Patten and Neal Skupski made sure of victory.

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