Great Britain stun Australia to reach Billie Jean King Cup Finals without top stars, including Emma Raducanu

Jodie Burrage and Harriet Dart sealed a 3-0 victory for Great Britain in their Billie Jean King Cup qualifier against Australia as they won their doubles match in straight sets.

The British duo beat Storm Hunter and Ellen Perez 6-3 6-4 to complete the victory in Melbourne.

Burrage and Dart trailed 3-1 in the first set before reeling off five straight games after the roof on John Cain Arena was closed.

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After trading breaks early in the second set, the British pair served out the match at the first attempt to seal victory for Anne Keothavong's side.

"That feels amazing," said an emotional Burrage who underwent surgery on a snapped tendon in her wrist and ruptured an ankle ligament last year. "I'm proud of us for the way that we played, way that we came out and managed to close that out."

Dart added: "It's crazy actually because we played pretty well and to be able to make the finals is just kind of surreal."

With Emma Raducanu, Sonay Kartal, Katie Boulter and Fran Jones all absent for GB, Dart and debutant Mika Stojsavljevic, 17, had put them in charge with singles victories over higher-ranked opponents on Friday.

Katie Swan was nominated to play the final rubber against former junior world No 1 Emerson Jones but a back issue in the second set led to a 7-5 6-3 defeat for the Brit.

Britain have now won their last four qualifier rubbers in the Billie Jean King Cup, with victories over France, Germany, Netherlands and Australia.

They move on to the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Shenzhen, which takes place in September.

They will compete with the other six tie winners from the qualifiers as well as host nation China.

Can Britain win the Billie Jean King Cup?

Great Britain captain Keothavong said: "We're all just overjoyed. Look, it's been an unbelievable week here in Melbourne, and the tennis that was played yesterday and today was just fantastic. I couldn't really ask anything more of my team. I'm so proud of them."

Keothavong has skippered the side since 2016 and believes Great Britain are "due something special" having reached the semi-finals last year.

Asked if they could win the Billie Jean King Cup, the captain said: "That's always the ultimate goal and I know we've got players and a strength in depth in the UK to do something special in this competition.

"But I've felt that for some time and sometimes you need a bit of luck for everything to come together.

"Absolutely, when we head to the finals, whoever is on my team, we're there. We're not there to make up the numbers, that's for sure."

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