• Fed Cup

Britain's Fed Cup hopes live on after comeback

Elena Baltacha beat Michaella Krajicek in straight sets © Getty Images

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Great Britain still have a great chance to qualify for the World Group of the Fed Cup, after they came from behind to beat Netherlands on Thursday.

A dramatic 7-5 7-6(5) victory for Laura Robson and Heather Watson in the decisive doubles kept Judy Murray's team on course for the World Group play-offs, which they will qualify for with victory over Israel on Friday.

Murray's team need to win their group at the Euro/Africa Zone I tie in Israel if they are to qualify for the Saturday's play-offs, and they had to come from behind after Anne Keothavong lost her opening rubber. Elena Baltacha kept British hopes alive as she beat Michaella Krajicek in straight sets.

The British team, who gave Murray a winning start to life as captain with a 3-0 whitewash against Portugal on Wednesday, suffered their first defeat in Eilat as Keothavong fell to Dutch No. 3 Bibiane Schoofs.

Keothavong, who won the pair's only previous meeting in straight sets last year, rallied after dropping the opening set, but despite forcing the match to a decider was unable to clinch the victory against the world No. 154.

Needing to win her singles rubber to avoid defeat, British No. 1 Baltacha battled from a break down in the second set to claim a 6-3 6-3 victory over the former world No. 30.

It was Baltacha's 30th victory in the Fed Cup, handing responsibilities to youngsters Robson and Watson to go on and win their decisive doubles rubber.

That they would do, although not without some consternation as they let two first set leads slip away before eventually clinching a crucial break at the death.

The second set was a close-fought affair, one that always looked like heading to a tiebreak. Again there was little to choose between the two sides, but Watson and Robson combined to give themselves a chance to claim the match as they served at 6-5 in the breaker - and it was a chance they would not let slip by, as they kept hopes alive of moving on to the next phase of the competition.

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