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

Great Britain is one victory away from securing a spot in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, thanks to impressive performances by Mika Stojsavljevic and Harriet Dart in their matches against Australia in Melbourne. Stojsavljevic, ranked 275th in the world, pulled off a stunning upset against world No. 65 Talia Gibson, winning 7-6 (7-4) 7-5 in her Billie Jean King Cup debut. The 17-year-old, who is the 2024 US Open junior champion, gave Britain a strong start in the qualifiers. Stojsavljevic overcame a 219-place difference in the WTA rankings to claim victory. She took an early 3-1 lead but needed a tie-break to secure the opening set and successfully defended five break points before closing out a back-and-forth second set. "It feels incredible. I'm still in shock and can't recall the final point," Stojsavljevic said. "I had fantastic support from the sidelines, which helped me get through the match." Britain's chances of progressing were further boosted when Harriet Dart battled back to defeat Kimberly Birrell 4-6 6-3 6-3, leaving the team requiring just one more win from the remaining three matches to qualify for the finals in Shenzhen, China, from September 22-27. "I'm thrilled to have secured the win after Mika's outstanding performance earlier," Dart said. "The match had many twists and turns, but I was able to find a way to win in the end." Dart will team up with Jodie Burrage in Saturday's doubles rubber against Storm Hunter and Ellen Perez, aiming to complete the tie for Britain.