Emma Raducanu took inspiration from her team-mates as she fought back from a set down to defeat Caroline Garcia and keep British hopes alive in Le Portel.
This was a huge and unexpected bonus, both for Raducanu and her colleagues, after British No 1 Katie Boulter had managed just two games in the opening rubber.
For the visitors, all appeared lost when Raducanu slipped to a 6-3, 2-0 deficit after an hour’s play. But then she heard a voice from the sidelines. It was Fran Jones, the team’s most exuberant character, telling her to “step in” and attack Garcia’s feared serve.
“I heard Fran Jones on the side of the court going ‘Step in’ and I literally looked at her, like, ‘I’m stepping in!’” Raducanu explained after the match.
“I think I gave her the biggest evils at 2-0 down but then it worked. By taking her second serve on a little bit more, it put a bit more pressure on, I guess. Also, I was in a more offensive position on my second shot.
“It was really good tennis,” Raducanu concluded. “I’m very pleased with my level, and especially to play such a tough opponent like Caroline, it’s a great match for me to win.”
Raducanu came into this contest as a hefty underdog. Listening to her pre-match chat about clay – a surface she claimed to be bonding with – we thought she was applying spin to an unpromising situation. Who wants to play a team as talented as the French in their home conditions?
Garcia is a former world No 4 who goes after every shot like a sniper aiming for a quick kill. She can be irresistible when the force is with her, as Naomi Osaka has already found out twice this season. But Raducanu never lost faith in her own ability to turn the match – and the whole tie – around.
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