Katie Boulter will lead Great Britain's challenge at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Shenzhen, with Emma Raducanu left out of the squad named by captain Anne Keothavong on 31 July. LTA

The Billie Jean King Cup is the women's equivalent of the Davis Cup — a national teams competition where countries face off in ties of two singles matches and one doubles. Boulter, ranked 69th in the world and the British number two, is joined by Harriet Dart, who was also named as a team leader, plus Jodie Burrage, Mika Stojsavljevic, and the returning Katie Boulter, who replaces Katie Swan from the qualifying squad.

This is Britain's fourth Finals appearance in five years, and they have reached the semi-finals in three of the last four seasons. Billie Jean King Cup Boulter herself carries a 9-1 win-loss record in the competition — a staggering strike rate at this level. She sits 12th on Britain's all-time match-wins list in the Cup.

Britain's campaign begins on Tuesday, 22 September, with a quarter-final against Czechia. The Finals run from 22 to 27 September at the Shenzhen Bay Sports Centre Arena. LTA

That draw is brutal. Czechia have won this tournament 11 times, and their squad for Shenzhen includes Linda Noskova and Karolina Muchova. Britain qualified for the Finals by beating Australia in Melbourne earlier this year, a tie where 17-year-old Stojsavljevic announced herself by defeating world number 56 Talia Gibson in singles.

The eight-team field is stacked. Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen leads host nation China, who open against defending champions Italy — a side featuring Olympic doubles gold medallists Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani. World number two Elena Rybakina headlines Kazakhstan's team against Spain. Ukraine and Belgium round out the field.

All ties are decided in a best-of-three format: two singles, one doubles. Every rubber — the term for an individual match within a tie — carries weight.

For British fans, the story is both familiar and fresh. Keothavong's side has become a consistent presence in the latter stages of this competition, reaching three semi-finals in four seasons without lifting the trophy. Boulter's near-flawless Cup record makes her the obvious anchor, but the inclusion of 17-year-old Stojsavljevic signals that Britain are also building for the future. The teenager's win over Gibson in Melbourne showed composure well beyond her years.

Raducanu's absence is the headline most casual fans will notice, but the squad is built on players who have earned their places through the qualifying campaign. No speculation here about why Raducanu was omitted — the LTA's announcement simply did not name her. The focus, as Keothavong sees it, stays on the group that got Britain to Shenzhen.

Czechia first. Then, possibly, a first final since 1981.