Katie Boulter and Sonay Kartal lead Britain past Germany in Billie Jean King Cup

Katie Boulter and Sonay Kartal led Great Britain to victory over Germany in the Billie Jean King Cup.

Boulter produced a rousing comeback against Tatjana Maria to seal the tie after Kartal beat Jule Niemeier on debut.

Germany avoided a whitewash when doubles pair Anna-Lena Friedsam and Laura Siegemund beat Harriet Dart and Olivia Nicholls 6-4 6-1 as Great Britain won the tie 2-1.

Victory means Anne Keothavong’s team face a decisive tie with the Netherlands on Saturday, with the winner advancing to the eight-team finals in September.

Boulter endured a tough opening in her first match of the season on clay as Maria used her slice excellently to take the opening set.

But the British number one used her power to come back and earn a 1-6 6-3 6-1 victory.

She said on court: “It was a really tough match, especially being my first one on clay.

“It was hard to come out against someone who has played so well on clay and Tatjana made it difficult for me at the beginning.

“But I am very proud of myself for how I came back and played in the second and third set.”

Kartal made an excellent first impression for Great Britain as her career continues to rise.

The world number 60 was too good for Niemeier, winning 6-4 6-2 with minimal fuss.

She said: “I’m super proud of that debut match. It is obviously nerve-wracking when you’re the first match on, but I’m proud of my performance.

“I loved having the coach next to me, it is completely different for me. I also loved having the rest of the guys behind me on the bench. It is a different kind of tennis, but I absolutely love this environment.”

The victory was impressive considering Britain were playing without Emma Raducanu, who chose to withdraw to focus on her training ahead of the clay-court swing.