Britain's Fed Cup captain Judy Murray feeling 'fed up'

Judy Murray admitted she is becoming 'cheesed off' by the format of the Fed Cup, after Great Britain missed out on promotion by losing to Belgium on Saturday.

For the second year in a row, Murray's team failed to escape the Europe/Africa Zone at the final hurdle and will not play another Fed Cup tie for 12 months.

Although they beat South Africa and Georgia to set up a promotion clash with Belgium, they slipped to defeat after Heather Watson and teenager Katie Swan both lost their singles matches in Israel.

Britain have not contested a home tie in the Fed Cup for 23 years and a disconsolate skipper Murray admitted: "I'm fed up with it. Everybody wants to get out of this Zone.

The format doesn't really lend itself to building any momentum

"The format doesn't really lend itself to building any momentum for women's team tennis if you play four days in February and then you don't play again until the following February."

She also vented her frustration at not being able to field her strongest team - yet again.

Joanna Konta, who recently reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open as an unseeded player, pulled out of the trip to Israel due to illness, while Laura Robson has hardly played a competitive match during the past two years.

Murray added: "We have a pretty strong group of players. We have Jo doing well and when Heather learns to trust herself in the big moments, she'll have a good chance of going forward.

"Laura Robson has also struggled with injury but when she comes back, she'll also play a part.

"But you're only as good as the team you can put out on any given year. The last time I was able to put out our strongest team was 2012. Since then, I've always been restricted by illness or injury."

As for 16-year-old Swan, Murray went on: "Katie acquitted herself incredibly well. She lost in three sets today to a player ranked over 350 places above her, so that was a huge positive."