Britain looked to be heading for their first final in the competition since 1981 when Emma Raducanu defeated Viktoria Hruncakova 6-4 6-4 and Katie Boulter won the opening set against Rebecca Sramkova.Â
Neither had dropped a set all week until that point but Boulter could not maintain her advantage and Sramkova fought back to claim a 2-6 6-4 6-4 victory and send the tie to a deciding doubles.
Called into action for the first time all week, Heather Watson and Olivia Nicholls were caught cold by Hruncakova and Tereza Mihalikova and fell to a one-sided 6-2 6-2 defeat.
"We're all absolutely gutted," Britain team captain Anne Keothavong said.
"We came into this event really believing that we had a good shot at it and unfortunately we fell short. We came up against a better team.
"It's still pretty raw right now. It's quite difficult to find the right words."
Slovakia, winners in 2002, will take on Italy on Wednesday for the title, while Britain must reflect on a disappointing end to what has nevertheless been a partially positive campaign.
A doubles masterclass 🇸🇰✨— Billie Jean King Cup (@BJKCup) Slovakia come back from 1-0 in the tie to beat Great Britain#BJKCup pic.twitter.com/mlkEBbGz0DNovember 19, 2024
In particular, the performances of Raducanu, who was a doubt for the event after suffering a foot injury two months ago, show that Britain can hope to challenge for the title again in the near future.
The 22-year-old was not at her best in a nervy encounter against Hruncakova, ranked a lowly 238, but was again able to hang tough when it mattered.
That set the stage for Boulter to try to clinch victory without the need for a deciding doubles, as she had in confident fashion against both Germany and Canada.
She is ranked 19 places higher than Sramkova at 24 in the world but the Slovakian, who is almost blind in one eye, has enjoyed a breakthrough year and fought back strongly for her victory.
Nicholls has had a breakthrough year on the WTA Tour playing with Mihalikova while Watson is also an experienced doubles player but the pair, who Keothavong credited for providing much of the off-court fun, just could not get into the contest.
With the crowd diminished by Rafael Nadal's farewell next door, Watson and Nicholls quickly fell 4-0 behind and a comeback never looked on the cards.
For Slovakia, it was pure joy.
The European underdogs had already taken out the much-fancied USA, then ousted Australia and now this.
"This is a special moment for our country, for our players and for tennis in Slovakia," captain Matej Liptak said.
"It's so many years since we won it – and we've only won it once.
"But today it's real and we are just one step from the biggest victory this team has had. We will try to enjoy it tomorrow but, for now, we are unbelievably happy. The team is unbelievably happy, and we are enjoying the moment.
"All my girls will be legends now. Even if they don't finish it tomorrow, this is a really special moment for them and for our country. Everyone will know who was in this team. But we will try to go one more match."
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