Hosts likely to pose main threat to Team GB
HEATHER WATSON will hope to propel Great Britain to Fed Cup promotion this week as the regional stage of the team competition takes place in Estonia.
Despite the Guernsey player boasting a fine record – 25 wins from 34 rubbers – in a competition of which she now has vast experience, Team GB have flattered to deceive in recent years.
It means that despite promise of promotion on more than one occasion, they currently remain rooted in Europe/Africa Zone Group One phase.
However, with Watson’s team-mate Johanna Konta one of the highest-ranked individuals in the 14-team tournament, hopes will be high of reaching spring’s World Group Two play-offs – and then winning there.
To do that, Konta and Watson – as well as Katie Boulter and Anna Smith, who are likely to be used in doubles rubbers – must first top a Pool B group including Portugal and the hosts Estonia.
The Brits get their campaign under way against Portugal today. Whether they then get a day’s rest before facing Estonia had not been decided at time of publication.
GB will start as favourites to win the group, with all of Portugal’s four-person team lowly in the world rankings and Estonia boasting just one elite level player in world No. 27 Anett Kontaveit.
World No. 11 Konta will fancy her chances of negating her threat, while Watson – now 74 in the rankings – will be expected to see off one of the three remaining Estonians, none of whom have a world singles ranking.
As ever, each tie is the best of three rubbers – with a doubles the conclusion – and the group winners then progress to a promotion play-off on Saturday.
If they get that far, Team GB would take on the winners of Pool C, which comprises Croatia, Hungary, Slovenia and Sweden.
Serbia, Georgia and Bulgaria are in Pool A, with the winners facing the Pool D victors, who will be one of Poland, Turkey, Austria and Latvia.
