Britain on Verge of Billie Jean King Cup Victory as Stojsavljevic Stuns Australia

Mika Stojsavljevic, ranked 275th globally, made a stunning debut in the Billie Jean King Cup, defeating world No 65 Talia Gibson 7-6 (7-4) 7-5 in Melbourne, while Harriet Dart overcame Kiimberly Birrell 4-6 6-3 6-3 to put Britain one win away from qualifying for the finals in Shenzhen, China. The 17-year-old Stojsavljevic, who is the 2024 US Open junior champion, gave Britain a perfect start in the qualifiers, filling the gap left by absent players Emma Raducanu, Sonay Kartal, Katie Boulter, and Fran Jones. Stojsavljevic's victory, which saw her overcome a 219-place difference in the WTA rankings, was followed by Dart's win, which now leaves Britain requiring just one more victory from the remaining three matches to secure their place in the finals. The decisive doubles match is set for Saturday, with Dart teaming up with Jodie Burrage to face Storm Hunter and Ellen Perez.