Great Britain’s women’s team made a tremendous start to their medal quest on the second day of the BNP Paribas World Team Cup in Turkey with a 3-0 victory over Australia, while the GB junior team also recorded its first victory of the week in the round-robin pool phase of the competition.
British No. 3 Louise Hunt got the ball rolling for fourth seeds Great Britain in their first Pool D women’s World Group tie, starting what is her 11th World Team Cup with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Janel Manns.
British No. 1 Jordanne Whiley then beat Sarah Calati 6-3, 6-1 to put Great Britain into an unassailable 2-0 lead after the singles rubbers and Hunt and Lucy Shuker joined forces to beat Calati and Luba Josevski 6-0, 6-1 in the doubles.
"I played some of my best tennis today and I especially loved my doubles match with Lucy because we are a good team and I learn a lot from her," said Hunt. "Based on today’s performances I am really excited to see all of us bring our 'A game' to the USA tomorrow."
Josh Cooper’s first singles match representing the GB junior team ended in a resounding victory as the Stafford 17-year-old beat Swittzlerand’s Angela Grosswiler6-2, 6-2.
Luz Esperanza Merry put GB beyond the reaches of Switzerland when recovering from a slow start against Nalani Buob to earn a 0-6, 6-0, 6-1 win and Ruairi Logan then claimed his first World Team Cup victory when he partnered Merry to take the doubles 6-3, 3-6, (11-9) after a match tie-break.
"It was an amazing opportunity and I am very honoured," said Logan. ".I've learnt how to move a lot better on the clay after my doubles match yesterday and I've learnt to hit with more spin in the wind and to make sure my ball toss didn’t go too far behind me."
The GB junior tam will play Argentina in their third round-robin tie, with a place in the semi-finals on offer.
However, it was another tough day for Great Britain’s quad team after a narrow 2-1 loss to Italy on the opening day of play. With Antony Cotterill unable to play, James Shaw put up a fine effort against the greater experience of Bongani Dlamini, but the South African went on to claim a 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 victory. World No. 4 Lucas Sithole then beat Jamie Burdekin 6-3, 6-0.
The doubles was much closer, but after taking the first set Burdekin and Shaw were edged out 4-6 6-3, 11-9 by Bongani and Sithole. They will now take on Israel..
Great Britain start their men's World Group challenge on Wednesday as top seeds for the first time. The quartet of Gordon Reid, Marc McCarroll, David Phillipson and Alfie Hewett play Argentina.
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