Emma Raducanu prevailed on her Billie Jean King Cup debut, bringing the United Kingdom level with the Czech Republic in the qualifying tie.

Raducanu, 19, was playing her first senior match on clay, and she adjusted well on clay, winning 7-5 7-5 against Tereza Martincova, the world number 50.

After Harriet Dart fell 6-1 6-0 to Marketa Vondrousova, the US Open winner levelled the best-of-five tie.

On Saturday, the nations will compete in two singles matches, as well as a doubles match if necessary.

The victors will go to the finals in November, while the runners-up will compete in a play-off tie the following week.

Britain is one of the countries bidding to host the finals, and it could still win the competition.

It’s easy to forget that Raducanu is still a beginner in terms of professional experience after her meteoric rise over the last year.

But she used every ounce of her talent and mental toughness to overcome Martincova, who was 27 at the time.

In the first game, the teenager saved a set point at 5-4 before winning the next three, and he similarly came back from a 4-1 hole in the second.

Raducanu clinched a crucial victory for herself and her team after winning six of the final seven games, displaying her joy with an emphatic celebration before being hugged by her teammates.

“This one means a lot to me,” Raducanu, the world number 12 who will face Vondrousova in the reverse singles on Saturday, said.

“Even now, playing on clay takes some practice. The weather was quite windy, and there were some terrible bounces, so adjusting and adapting in the scenario was difficult, but I’m proud of how I dug in.”

“I went a little flat at the start of the second set, and everyone on my squad told me my effort had dropped. It was difficult to reclaim it, but I’m glad I was able to do so in the end.”

‘She didn’t allow me to have a good time’

Raducanu leads a new-look British team in Prague, with the side not able to call on either recently retired Johanna Konta or Heather Watson for the first time since 2010.

Captain Anne Keothavong acknowledges that there is a “changing of the guard,” but she is enthusiastic about the group of young players she has at her disposal.

Even without star trio Barbora Krejcikova, Karolina Pliskova, and Petra Kvitova, they have a difficult assignment against the Czechs, who have won the team event six times on outdoor clay since 2011, despite being without great trio Barbora Krejcikova, Karolina Pliskova, and Petra Kvitova.

Dart, 25, just entered the world top 100 after reaching the fourth round at Indian Wells, but she was unable to help Britain get off to a solid start.

Vondrousova is rated 32nd in the world, and her clay-court prowess was evident.

Dart, the British number two, broke serve in the first game but was unable to keep the pressure, notably on her own serve, where she made seven double faults, and lost in 55 minutes.

“It was an extremely difficult contest. I just need a little more time with the clay. I’ve never played on this surface before, and she’s a Grand Slam finalist “Dart remarked.

“She really placed me under a lot of stress. I wasn’t feeling well, but she didn’t let me play properly either.”