(January 7, 2013) -- The LTA has confirmed the team to contest the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Europe/Africa Zone Group I tie taking place February 6-9, 2013, at the Municipal Tennis Club in Eilat, Israel. The team will comprise of Heather Watson, Laura Robson, Anne Keothavong, and Johanna Konta. Elena Baltacha, currently recovering from injury, will travel with the other ladies and is part of the Fed Cup Team. Judy Murray is the captain, as she has been since December 2011.
Commenting on the selections, Judy Murray said: “Last year’s Fed Cup was a great experience for all of us and we came close to securing a place in the World Group for the first time since 1995. Heather and Laura have pushed themselves up into the top 50 in the WTA rankings this year and they will have wonderfully experienced back-up in Anne and Bally who have 22 Fed Cups between them. Jo Konta makes her debut on the team after a terrific 2012 season which saw her break into the top 150. We have a great squad and we will be aiming to put ourselves in World Group contention once again."
British No. 1 Heather Watson said, “Playing Fed Cup is always a highlight for me during the year. Most of the time we are out there playing for ourselves, but it’s a lot of fun and a great honour to compete as a team and represent our country against the best in the world.” Watson ended 2012 at a career-best No. 49 (currently No. 47) in the world winning her first career WTA singles title at the Japan Open, having already claimed Tour doubles titles at Stanford and Dallas in the USA during the summer.
Today, her compatriot Laura Robson joins Watson in the Top 50 -- the first time Britain has two women ranked as high since July 1987. Robson said, “'I am really excited to be part of the Fed Cup team again and I can't wait to get back out there and hopefully win all of our matches.” Robson ended a career-best season in 2012 close to the Top 50, highlighted by a Silver Medal in mixed doubles at the Olympics, beating former Grand Slam champions Kim Clijsters and Li Na at the US Open and then becoming the first woman since 1990 to reach a WTA singles final, before Watson went one better, three weeks later.
British No. 3 Anne Keothavong said, “I can’t believe this will be my 12th time representing my country. I feel really proud how we have grown as a team in the last couple of years and came so close to making World Group II last year. It’s an added motivation knowing how close we were to try and take the extra step in 2013.” Keothavong put in her best tournament showing last season at Doha, where she beat Watson, Robson and Aegon International champion (47th ranked) Tamira Paszek before falling to world No. 4 Agnieszka Radwanska in the second round. She spent all of 2012 inside the world’s Top 100 until dropping out in late October.
Johanna Konta, who is making her Aegon GB Fed Cup team debut said, “I’m so excited it’s beyond words and a real thrill to be nominated alongside Heather, Laura, Anne and Bally.” The 21 year-old came within two points of upsetting world No. 38 Christina McHale in the first round at Wimbledon and went one better at the US Open in September. There she won four consecutive matches over higher ranked opponents to reach the second round as a qualifier, defeating No. 59 Timea Babos before falling to Olga Govortsova after serving for the match at 5-2 in the final set. That performance elevated her into the world’s Top 200 for the first time, reaching a career-best mark of No. 147.
Team stalwart Elena Baltacha, will be travelling to Eilat in a non-playing capacity, said, “I’m very much looking forward to travelling with the team to Israel again and getting stuck in. Without a doubt that was one of the best memories of my career last year, winning our final group match against home favourites and going on to beat Austria to gain the Play-off position. It will be an ideal place to re-start my tennis season.” Baltacha began 2012 ranked No. 51 before her season was curtailed following the Olympics due to a floating bone fragment in her right foot requiring surgery on October 8.
The Aegon GB Fed Cup Team will contest the Europe/Africa Zone Group I, alongside 15 other nations, all vying to take the top two spots and progress to the World Group II play offs in April.