Britain advance to Billie Jean King Cup finals

Britain advanced to the Billie Jean King Cup finals when doubles pair Harriet Dart and Jodie Burrage beat Australia’s Storm Hunter and Ellen Perez 6-3, 6-4 to clinch the teams’ best-of-five matchup Saturday.

The visitors had built a 2-0 lead Friday when 17-year-old Mika Stojsavljevic beat Talia Gibson 7-6 (4), 7-5, and Dart topped Kimberly Birrell 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in singles matches at John Cain Arena.

In a consolation win, 17-year-old Australian Emerson Jones beat Katie Swan 7-5, 6-3 to make the score 3-1.

The finals of the Billie Jean King Cup, a women’s team tournament formerly called the Fed Cup, will be held in Shenzhen in September. Host nation China qualified automatically.

Six other finalists will be determined Saturday: defending champion Italy vs. Japan; Kazakhstan vs. Canada; Switzerland vs. Czech Republic; Slovenia vs. Spain; Belgium vs. United States; Poland vs. Ukraine.