Anne Keothavong’s Fed Cup warriors, buttressed by the proven pedigree of Johanna Konta and the slow-burning potential of Katie Boulter, are on the verge of returning Great Britain to the elite level of the sport’s international team competition for the first time in 26 years.
Standing in their way, however, is one of the most volatile players in tennis, Yulia Putintseva, an adopted daughter of Kazakhstan and not an opponent to go lightly.
If Great Britain beat Kazakhstan in the five-match tie at the Copper Box at London’s 2012 Olympic Park on Saturday and Sunday, they will earn a place in the new streamlined finals format – which could be introduced as a 12-nation event next year.
There is a good chance the ITF will bring together the Fed Cup and the men’s Davis Cup (also revamped in a World Cup-style final this November) for an annual end-of-year jamboree of team tennis, but that was a long way from Keothavong’s thoughts on Friday.
The former Cup stalwart – who won 22 matches in 39 ties over 12 years - will not be distracted by the back-room rumblings. She said at the draw for the World Group II play-offs: “To be honest, that’s in the ITF’s hands. I haven’t thought much about it. What will be will be. Hopefully we’ll come out of it with a win and everything else will take care of itself.”
Konta, once fourth in the world and rebuilding from a ranking of 46, starts the tie against the world No 107, Zarina Diyas, in the opening singles on Saturday, followed by Boulter against Putintseva, who is ranked 48 places above her at 38 in the world. The key match will be the reverse singles on Sunday between Konta and Putintseva, who have plenty of history.
Konta needed no reminding of her two encounters with Putintseva: a win on the clay of Rome two years agoand a tough straight-sets defeat in the first round of the French Open last year.
“She’s a very feisty competitor, plays every point to the last,” Konta said. “But this is a different sort of tournament, different emotions. Every match this weekend will be a tough battle. Nothing is guaranteed, over two days [after the team’s marathon triumph in Bath in February, when they beat Slovenia, Greece, Hungary and Serbia over four days].”
Putintseva was 93 in the rankings when she inflicted Konta’s fourth consecutive first-round Roland Garros defeat on her, so there is baggage to be handled.
“Jo is a really tough player on hard courts but I will do my best,” Putintseva said.
Keothavong stoked the fire when she observed: “We all know what she’s like. But the players are professional. You know what’s coming but it’s important that they stay in their own little bubble and don’t rise to her bait. That’s what’s got her to where she is. She’s got tremendous character, a huge personality out there on the court.
“But we’ve got fantastic competitors in the team who are capable of dealing with her. I played against her back in the day, didn’t go quite so well for me. The players will be able to deal with anything that comes their way.”
Putintseva, all smiles, recalled her early-career win over Keothavong and brushed away suggestions that the heat from that long-ago encounter would concern her this weekend. “I was only 14 at the time and she refused to shake my hand, wasn’t very nice to me, said I was too loud,” she said. “But why would that bother me, her sitting beside the court? She is entitled to sit there. She’s the captain. I certainly won’t be thinking about her during my match.”
Keothavong, who grew up in Hackney, is revelling in returning to her roots. “In some ways we’re walking into the unknown,” she said. “Having the opportunity to play in front of a home crowd is what we all wanted. Also we’ve been able to do stuff with Hackney kids, which is special for me. These are moments that really help inspire, not just the kids but the players as well, to have new experiences. Ultimately it’s about the tennis but also the other things around it.”
There is a nice glow about the team, rated 15 in the world, four ahead of Kazakhstan and favoured to prevail – especially after their rousing form in Bath, where Konta conquered exhaustion in the deciding match against Serbia and Boulter showed hitherto unknown reserves of tenacity. “All I can do is put the best tennis out there and see what happens,” Boulter said. “I’ll definitely be using the Bath experience.”
The hub of the squad is Konta, who has won nine in a row in the competition since her emotional defeat by Simona Halep when Great Britain lost to Romania in the World Group II play-offs two years ago.
The doubles on Sunday will bring together Harriet Dart and Heather Watson against Anna Danilina and Galina Voskoboeva, who rarely plays singles and is ranked 58 in the world in doubles.
