GB can win Billie Jean King Cup despite Raducanu absence, Keothavong says

Great Britain can still win the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Shenzhen this week despite Emma Raducanu's decision to withdraw, GB captain Anne Keothavong said on Thursday. The move comes as Raducanu chose to compete at the Korea Open in Seoul in pursuit of more time on the WTA Tour with her new coach Francisco Roig, a decision she said would aid her long-term development.

Francesca Jones was named as Raducanu's replacement and will join Katie Boulter, Sonay Kartal and Jodie Burrage as Britain face Japan on Thursday. Britain's lineup sees Boulter step into the role of top singles player in Raducanu's absence, with the group that helped Britain reach the eight-team finals in Shenzhen.

Boulter said the team would have loved to have Raducanu alongside them but stressed that they must focus on the players who are present and ready to compete. "I think she's a huge asset to the team, but ultimately we've still got to focus on the team that we have, the people who are here and ready to play," she told BBC Sport from Shenzhen. "We can't look back too much, we've got to stay looking forward. We qualified off our own bat — I think we are in a really strong position. It's really nice to have the same group of girls that were there before, and it's great to have some insight from Fran."

Japan, too, are without their world-number-one after Naomi Osaka withdrew following her run to the US Open semi-finals. Keothavong echoed the cautious optimism that has defined Britain’s approach, saying: "I think we've got a real shot at [winning] it. We are the second seeds here, having reached the semi-finals twice in the past few years and come close to going further."

The eight-team finals in Shenzhen bring together countries that advanced through regional ties earlier in the year. In April, Kartal and Burrage teamed with Boulter in The Hague to beat Germany and the Netherlands and secure Britain’s place in the eight-team Finals. That setup provided the backbone for this week’s challenge, and Keothavong has stressed the need to build on that momentum. "We take a huge amount of pride in this competition and we do want to be world champions," she said. "Players will make decisions they feel are in their best interest, but my focus is just on this team."

The event runs from 18 September in Shenzhen, China, with BBCiPlayer providing live coverage in the UK and BBC Sport offering live text updates online and via the app. The focus for Britain remains on a compact, defined group that could still lift the trophy despite the absence of Raducanu, a sentiment Keothavong underscored as the team prepared for Thursday's opening rubbers.