Fed Cup: GB through to play-off after beating Turkey to top Group C - BBC Sport
A third-straight win in Group C sees Great Britain qualify for the Fed Cup play-off.
Last updated on .From the section Tennis

Great Britain will face second seeds Croatia in the Fed Cup promotion play-off on Saturday.

Heather Watson and Johanna Konta won their singles matches against Turkey to take an unassailable lead in their final best-of-three group match.

Jocelyn Rae and Laura Robson completed a 3-0 sweep in the doubles, with Anne Keothavong's team topping Group C.

Their play-off place was already sealed after Latvia earlier beat Portugal in Britain's group.

British number one Konta then overcame an early wobble to beat world number 86 Cagla Buyukakcay 5-7 6-4 6-3 in the second singles match.

"I didn't get the chance to play Fed Cup last year, but from the very beginning of the season I was clear that I wanted it to be part of my schedule," Konta told British Tennis.

"I think whenever I get an opportunity to represent Great Britain in a team environment, I look to take it."

Rae and Robson then breezed to a 6-2 6-2 victory over Ayla Aksu and Pemra Ozgen in 58 minutes to ensure Great Britain ended the group stages unbeaten.

Unlike the men's team competition, the Davis Cup, which has a World Group of 16 nations, the Fed Cup divides its top teams into two groups of eight - World Group I and World Group II.

The 91 nations outside the top tiers are divided into three regional zones and Britain have one chance per year to escape - a format that hugely frustrated former captain Judy Murray.

The Europe/Africa Group I event, which this year takes place in Estonia, has 14 teams divided into groups, with Poland, Croatia, Britain and Serbia the seeded nations.

Four group winners will progress to promotion play-offs on Saturday, and two nations will then qualify for World Group II play-offs in April - which could see Britain given a home Fed Cup tie for the first time since 1993.

They fell at the same stage in 2012 and 2013 - away ties in Sweden and Argentina - under the captaincy of Judy Murray.