Billie Jean King Cup: Great Britain prepare for tough Czech Republic test

“It’s best not to underestimate us,” says a defiant Harriet Dart.

But Great Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup squad know full well the enormity of the challenge that awaits them.

On Tuesday, the tight-knit British team – Dart, Katie Boulter, Sonay Kartal, Mika Stojsavljevic and Jodie Burrage – take on the Czech Republic in their BJK Cup quarter-final in Shenzhen, China.

GB have reached the semi-finals in three of the past four seasons, but in the Czechs they face the 11-time champions and an eye-watering line-up – the only team boasting two top-10 players at the Finals tournament.

In Linda Noskova and Karolina Muchova, they have the current Wimbledon champion and her beaten opponent from this summer’s all-Czech final.

While Marie Bouzkova has not yet hit such heights in reaching a major final, the 28-year-old has won two WTA titles this year, including on the Nottingham grass, and team-mate Sara Bejlek, 20, has enjoyed a breakthrough season featuring a first title and victories against the likes of Aryna Sabalenka and Madison Keys.

In doubles, Bouzkova and Noskova teamed up to triumph in Cincinnati in August, though Katerina Siniakova is likely to feature in the BJK Cup as the current top-ranked women’s doubles player with 12 Grand Slams to her name.

All five members of the Czech team are ranked higher in the singles rankings than any of the British squad.

“I think naturally we are definite underdogs,” Boulter, the current world number 54, told BBC Sport.

“We are the ones that are going to have to make something happen, something special. But that being said, a lot of pressure is on them, and we’ve seen in this tournament before that people can make upsets, and I think that’s what we’ll be looking to do.

“I think we have no pressure ourselves, and we’re just going to go out there with no expectations.”

The tie will be shown on the BBC Sport website and app and on BBC iPlayer, with coverage beginning from 10:00 BST.