The last quarterfinal match of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals will feature Great Britain, led by Katie Boulter, against Japan, with Moyuka Uchijima as their top singles player. The opening match between the European and Asian teams will be Francesca Jones versus Ena Shibahara.Both teams are missing their highest-ranked players: the 4-time major champion Naomi Osaka (No. 14) and former US Open champion Emma Raducanu (No. 33) are both absent. There are no clear favorites, as both teams are weakened by these absences. Among the eight teams competing in the Finals in Shenzhen, only Great Britain and Japan do not have a single player ranked in the WTA’s Top 50.Jones’s winning streak meets Shibahara’s net game
The series will open in the evening session with 24-year-old Francesca Jones, who has been in great form recently, with 15 victories in her last 19 matches. The Brit won the Grand Est Open title and is at a career-high ranking of No. 73. She has surpassed Sonay Kartal, who has suffered three consecutive defeats since her surprising run to the fourth round at Wimbledon.
It is expected that captain Anne Keothavong will send Jones to the court, although it would not be a surprise if she opts for Kartal at the last minute. Kartal is more experienced in these high-stakes matches and was a key player for the British team in the qualifiers in April, with wins against Jule Niemeier and Eva Vedder in the group stage.
The Japanese player, Ena Shibahara, is a doubles specialist—with a career-high ranking of No. 4. She is known for her constant presence at the net and her great volley game, which makes her an unconventional opponent. They have two previous head-to-head matches (a 1-1 record), with the Japanese player winning their only match on hard court back in the 2024 US Open qualifiers.
Boulter fights to regain form against the rising Uchijima
Without a doubt, hopes are placed on Katie Boulter as the No. 1 singles player, despite her recent fall in the rankings to No. 55. Since the hard court swing resumed, she has a poor 1-5 record and is still struggling to rediscover her best form. The Brit will be looking for a confidence boost while representing Great Britain, something that has often served as a momentum-builder for her, especially at the end of the season.
The 29-year-old player is tasked with leading her country in Raducanu’s absence. “I feel like each and every one of us has the heart and has a lot of fight for our country,” she stated before the debut. “I think that just comes naturally, too. I’m sure we’re going to bring a lot of fight in the next couple of ties.”
Her opponent will be the challenging Moyuka Uchijima (No. 92), 24, and a former world No. 47. The Japanese player has to lead a series where not only is Naomi Osaka absent, but also the Japanese No. 2 Aoi Ito (21 years old, No. 84). Uchijima has shown flashes of talent on the Tour, having already secured her first victory against a top-10 player on her way to the quarterfinals of the WTA 1000 Madrid Open. She also has a solid 8-4 singles record in the Billie Jean King Cup.
Possible doubles match
If a doubles match is necessary, it will likely feature a different set of players. The doubles specialist Jodie Burrage would team up with Sonay Kartal to face a potential decisive point against the Asian team of Shuko Aoyama (doubles No. 38) and Eri Hozumi (No. 29). However, Keothavong has surprised in the past by sending Boulter to play doubles, and it also wouldn’t be a surprise if the Japanese captain Ai Sugiyama chose to send Shibahara back on court.
Team NominationsGreat BritainCaptain: Anne KeothavongPlayerSingles RankingDoubles RankingKatie Boulter55311Francesca Jones 73-Sonay Kartal82174Jodie Burrage149123JapanCaptain: Ai SugiyamaPlayerSingles RankingDoubles RankingMoyuka Uchijima02104Ena Shibahara16468Nao Hibino201181Eri Hozumi92429Shuko Aoyama-38
AloJapan.com