Billie Jean King Cup Finals: Doubles disaster for Great Britain as unheralded Slovakia set up Italy final clash

Such is the fine margins in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, Great Britain have been defeated in the semi-finals of the season-ending tournament by Slovakia with the unheralded country set to face Jasmine Paolini's Italy to complete the week.

Emma Raducanu opened up Tuesday morning seeing off Viktoria Hrancakova 6-4, 6-4. But after that, it was up to Boulter who will feel as gutted as anyone else that she couldn't convert opportunities against the tricky Rebecca Sramkova.

Sramkova saw off Boulter 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the end to set up a doubles decider and it favoured Slovakia. Olivia Nicholls and Heather Watson had sat on the bench all week with Raducanu and Boulter providing in the singles.

The faith was kept with the team in which was picked by Anne Keothavong as opposed to Raducanu and Boulter being put in or even Harriet Dart while Hrancakova and Mihalikova have been superb all week when put into the doubles.

This strategy paid off in particular against USA and Australia where they prevailed and now Great Britain. Albeit this may not pay off against Italy who will be favourites.

Even if they get past Jasmine Paolini or Lucia Bronzetti and force the decider, Paolini and Errani are a formidable duo and so in reality they will be favourites in every other scenario.