Stojsavljevic, 17, wins as GB take charge in BJK Cup

Mika Stojsavljevic saved six of the eight break points she faced against Talia Gibson [Getty Images] Teenager Mika Stojsavljevic stunned Talia Gibson, ranked more than 200 places above her, in straight sets as Great Britain took a 2-0 lead over Australia in the Billie Jean King Cup. The world number 275, making her debut in the competition, defeated Gibson, 56th in the WTA rankings, 7-6 (7-4) 7-5 in the opening singles match in Melbourne. Harriet Dart, ranked 173rd in the world, then fought back from a set down to beat Kimberly Birrell 4-6 6-3 6-3 in a little under two and a half hours.

A doubles and two reverse singles follow on Saturday, with Great Britain only needing to win one match to advance to the eight-team finals in Shenzhen, China, in September. The losers face a play-off in November. Stojsavljevic, 17, is the second-lowest ranked player in a Great Britain team missing Emma Raducanu, Sonay Kartal, Katie Boulter, and Fran Jones – all of whom are ranked inside the world's top 100 for singles.

But the 2024 US Open junior champion, described by Great Britain captain Anne Keothavong as "not your average 17-year-old", was unfazed by her underdog status and the Australian crowd, holding her nerve to clinch the first set in a tie-break after letting a 3-1 lead slip. She later saved five break points in the penultimate game of the match before converting her first match point. "It feels amazing.

I can't believe it. I can't even remember the last point," Stojsavljevic said. "I had amazing support from the side and managed to get through.