Emma Raducanu will take on Caroline Garcia on Friday in her first match for Great Britain in two years. (More Tennis News)
The former US Open champion is available to Britain바카라™s Billie Jean King Cup captain Anne Keothavong for the tie against France for the first time since making her debut in April 2022.
On that occasion, Raducanu won her first senior match on clay against Tereza Martincova of the Czech Republic before losing heavily to Marketa Vondrousova in a tie Britain ultimately lost 3-2.
They are back on clay just across the Channel in Le Portel on Friday and Saturday, and Keothavong is likely to need Raducanu to win at least one match if Britain are to spring a surprise and reach the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in November.
Having pulled out of the Miami Open last month with a minor back issue, Raducanu will play her first match since an encouraging showing in Indian Wells ended in a competitive third-round loss to Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka.
She has met world number 23 Garcia twice before, beating her in Indian Wells in 2022 then losing at Wimbledon in the same year, but this will be their first match on clay.
Raducanu has played only one match on the surface in nearly two years, and she told reporters in France: 바카라śI바카라™ve not spent so much time on clay over the past few years.
바카라śIt was interesting at the beginning but I think I learned pretty quickly. I바카라™m starting to feel a lot better on the surface. I think in the future it바카라™s going to be a surface that actually suits me. I바카라™m maybe a little bit away from that right now but I바카라™m enjoying it and I바카라™m enjoying the challenge.
바카라śI think it바카라™s great that we can be in this position playing the French, who are so dominant. Coming on clay I definitely think we바카라™re the underdogs but we have a lot of game and we바카라™re ready to play this weekend.바카라ť
The British number one is Katie Boulter, who has surged into the top 30 this year having been ranked well outside the top 100 12 months ago when Britain lost to the same opponents on hard courts in Coventry.
She will take on up-and-coming 21-year-old Diane Parry in the opening match on Friday in what will be just Boulter바카라™s third match on clay since April 2021.
The reverse singles will take place on Saturday and, if necessary, the tie will conclude with a deciding doubles, for which Keothavong has selected Harriet Dart and Heather Watson, although changes can be made.
The GB captain was keen to play up Britain바카라™s status as underdogs, saying: 바카라śWe바카라™re here on French turf. The French have the home support, they have the experience in this team, they바카라™ve had a lot of success in this competition.
바카라śBut I바카라™m confident and I back my players. It바카라™s a great opportunity. We바카라™ve prepared as well as we could have and I바카라™m looking forward to the matches tomorrow.바카라ť
Elsewhere in the qualifiers, Naomi Osaka is playing in the competition for the first time since 2020 in Japan바카라™s tie with Kazakhstan while world number one Iga Swiatek leads Poland against Switzerland.
