Coming in with some of the most in-form players on the Tour

Lexus GB Billie Jean King Cup Captain, Anne Keothavong has selected a versatile and experienced team for the Finals, including some players who are in red-hot form.

Britain’s highest-ranked player Katie Boulter will arrive in peak form after reaching her third WTA final of the year at the Hong Kong Open just over a week ago. The British No.1 really found her stride during the Asian swing having finished runner-up in Hong Kong, reaching the semi-final of the Japan Open.

Thanks to her recent sublime form on top of two WTA titles this season, Boulter has now clocked a new career-high ranking of world No.23 and could be one of the standout stars in Malaga.

It’s a similar story for doubles specialist Olivia Nicholls, who returns to the squad for the first time since the 2023 Qualifiers in Coventry. Like Boulter, Nicholls hit a purple patch of form over the Asian swing, clocking back-to-back WTA 1000 quarter-finals in China and Wuhan before reaching the semis in Hong Kong and rising to the top of the British doubles ranking for the first time in her career.

Nicholls has admitted she thrives in a team environment. With a strong track record in Billie Jean King matches, she’ll certainly be one to watch should GB be forced into a doubles rubber.

While Emma Raducanu has been watching from the sidelines over the last few weeks due to injury, the 21-year-old has enjoyed many highs this year and showcased plenty of the talent that led her to the 2021 US Open title. Raducanu reached four WTA quarter-finals this season, with her most recent coming at the Seoul Korea Open, as well as the semi-finals in Nottingham and fourth round of Wimbledon.

Let’s not forget Harriet Dart who's cemented herself inside the top 100 in the singles and doubles game over the 12 months, thanks to a string of impressive performances at major tournaments. The experienced Heather Watson also comes in having finished runner-up at the W100 Shrewsbury event at the end of October.

Boasting a packed line-up full of confidence and in-form players, Great Britain shouldn’t be underestimated heading into Malaga.

Qualifying win over France shows the Brits can beat the best

It’s been seven months since the Brits made a strong statement by upsetting France to secure their spot in the Final 12, but we still haven’t recovered from that memorable tie in Le Portal.

Heading into the away tie on the clay, the Brits were firm underdogs against the three-time champions, who defeated Great Britain 12 months earlier at the 2023 Qualifiers. That said, the Brits rose to the occasion against a determined French team consisting of Caroline Garcia, Clara Burel, Diane Parry and Kristina Mladenovic and proved they could hold their own against the best.

After the first day of the tie ended in a deadlock at 1-1, the Brits turned up the heat on day two, as Boulter bounced back from an opening round defeat to demolish Burel in the first match of day two to edge ahead.

From there, it was over to Raducanu who was competing in her first Billie Jean King Cup tie in two years. After producing a brilliant display over former world No.4 Garcia, Raducanu made it two from two as she held off clay court specialist Parry in a three-set epic to secure the dramatic upset.

Their triumph over France showed that the British team can go toe-to-toe with some of the biggest individual players and nations in the world and will no doubt serve as a confidence booster heading into the 2024 Finals.

The Brits will be gunning to recreate their 2022 semi-final run

The British squad last qualified for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals back in Glasgow 2022, having earned a wild card as the host nation. There, the Brits set sail on a dream run to the final four for the first time since 1981, after earning a historic 3-0 victory against a strong Spanish team in the final match of the Group Stages.

Their battle against Spain saw Watson and Dart step up to the challenge and produce some of the best performances of their careers. Dart took down former world No.2 Paula Badosa in straight sets while Watson dismantled Nuria Parrizas-Diaz and Nicholls made it a debut to remember as she earned two wins in the doubles across the week.

While GB eventually bowed out to runners-up Australia in the semi-finals, they walked away with plenty to be proud of having clocked their best run at the tournament in 41 years.

The Brits might be without the home crowd in Malaga, but rest assured they’ll be looking to channel the energy from their past semi-final run as they chase down the coveted Billie Jean King Cup trophy.