Britain beats Australia to advance to Billie Jean King Cup finals
Italy's Elisabetta Cocciaretto, right, serves to Japan's Moyuka Uchijima during the Billy Jean King Cup match between Italy and Japan in Velletri, Italy, Friday April 10, 2026. Credit: AP/Alfredo Falcone
MELBOURNE, Australia — Britain advanced to the Billie Jean King Cup finals when doubles pair Harriet Dart and Jodie Burrage beat Australia's Storm Hunter and Ellen Perez 6-3, 6-4 to clinch the teams' best-of-five matchup Saturday.
The visitors had built a 2-0 lead Friday when 17-year-old Mika Stojsavljevic beat Talia Gibson 7-6 (4), 7-5, and Dart topped Kimberly Birrell 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in singles matches at John Cain Arena.
In a consolation win, 17-year-old Australian Emerson Jones beat Katie Swan 7-5, 6-3 to make the score 3-1.
The finals of the Billie Jean King Cup, a women's team tournament formerly called the Fed Cup, will be held in Shenzhen in September. Host nation China qualified automatically.
Six other finalists will be determined Saturday: defending champion Italy vs. Japan; Kazakhstan vs. Canada; Switzerland vs. Czech Republic; Slovenia vs. Spain; Belgium vs. United States; Poland vs. Ukraine.
The losing teams will compete in November's Billie Jean King Cup Cup playoffs, which determines qualifiers for 2027.
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