Jo Durie: This Fed Cup tie will be very close
Jo Durie believes Britain's Fed Cup players will be feeling extra nerves for this weekend's play-off against Kazakhstan. Durie, who played in 37 ties for Britain in the 1980s and 90s, told Press Association Sport: "I think it's going to be a very tough match and there will be a lot of pressure on our team to win this to get us into the World Group, if it does change format."
With Johanna Konta and Katie Boulter leading charge for the Brit, their rankings are relatively closer to Kazakhstan's leading two players, world number 38 Yulia Putintseva and 107th-ranked Zarina Diyas.”
"On paper it could be very close," said Durie. "I know Putintseva's playing quite well at the moment. She'll be fired up, she always is, she's always in your face and it might be even more in a team event.”
"But that can also maybe work against her because it fires up whoever she's playing. I think we should be just edging it as favourites."
But playing at home would help Konta and Boulter, according to Durie. "It's really great because there is a buzz and you can feel the crowd living every moment with you. Sometimes it can actually make it a little bit harder because of the expectation, you can hear it quite clearly.”
"It's fantastic to have this home tie. We should absolutely relish this. I thought the Bath event was tremendous, it worked so well. To get everybody used to playing at home and all the stuff that goes with it was perfect for us to then get a home tie."
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2IGjRSK
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