'Means so much' - Emma Raducanu returns to form to spearhead GB's Billie Jean King Cup bid

Emma Raducanu saw an impressive return to form as she starred for Great Britain in the Billie Jean King Cup clash with the Czech Republic.

The contest was Raducanu's first ever professional match on clay, with her beating world number 50 Tereza Martincova 7-5 7-5.

With Hariet Dart losing the first match of the best-of-five tie, Raducanu was able to level things up after day one.

"This one means so much to me," said Raducanu. "This year I've won a lot of the first sets, I've been leading the match, but to actually close it out in two sets definitely gave me a lot of confidence and I'm very happy that I managed to.

"Playing on clay definitely took some adjusting, even now.

"The conditions were very windy and some bad bounces, so to adjust and adapt in the situation was very challenging but I'm very proud of how I dug in.

"In the beginning of the second set, I went a bit flat and everyone in my team was telling me the intensity had dropped.

"It is difficult to regain that but I'm very happy I did in the end."

The tie will continue on into Saturday with two more singles matches, one of which will see Raducanu play world number 32 Marketa Vondrousova, who got the best of Dart on day one.

That will be one of two more singles matches, with a deciding doubles match on Sunday if needed.