Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter look at Billie Jean King Cup positives after final bid ends

Emma Raducanu is set to begin her preparations for 2025, while Katie Boulter takes a well-deserved break following Great Britain's Billie Jean King Cup defeat to Slovakia, marking the end of their seasons. The pair will have to overcome the disappointment of seeing Britain's hopes of reaching their first final since 1981 dashed from a winning position.

Despite Raducanu winning all three of her matches in Malaga in straight sets, Boulter couldn't replicate this success, losing to Rebecca Sramkova in the semi-finals after leading by one set. Heather Watson and Olivia Nicholls also lost the deciding doubles match convincingly.

Raducanu, who recently recovered from a foot injury, is eager to start training to ensure she's in top form for the new season. Despite some questioning her scheduling and physical resilience, it's been a far from disappointing year for the 22 year old, who has shown promising consistency when on court.

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She confirmed she's in discussions with fitness trainer Yutaka Nakamura, which could be a significant step forward. "I think I had some good performances on the court this week," said the former US Open champion.

"I played three matches, which is great for me. I haven’t played in a while so I think being able to score a point and get on the board was helpful."

Katie Boulter reflected on her performance with a mix of pride and disappointment, saying: "I think the positives to take are, physically, I held up pretty well. It didn’t take me too long to step back into that match sharpness."

Despite the heartache of not propelling Britain into the final, Boulter's 2024 has been remarkable, clinching two WTA Tour titles, including her inaugural 500-level triumph in San Diego, and soaring into the world’s top 25 rankings. "Obviously it’s going to be really important for me to take a moment for myself, remember what I’ve actually done this year," the 28 year old remarked.

"I’ve got two titles behind me. I’m at a career-high ranking. This week has also been great for me. I have had some really good wins. I really want to use that next year, and I really feel like I can push on.

"But it’s going to be extremely important for me to take a moment right now and have a few days to myself and pick myself back up. It’s a long season. I’m a little emotionally tired, but I have given everything I possibly could for this country, and I’m proud of that. That’s all I can ask of myself."

Looking ahead, the Billie Jean King Cup will undergo another format change next year, requiring teams to top one of seven three-team groups in April to secure a place in the final eight, alongside a host yet to be announced.

Captain Anne Keothavong has expressed confidence in the British women's tennis team, despite acknowledging the need to bounce back from recent setbacks. She said: "We’ve got a fantastic team and we do need to find a way to pick ourselves up; maintain perspective, most of all," and added, "I can take confidence from the fact that we’ve got incredible players in the UK. We’ve shown with our best players what’s possible. We came close.

"It wasn’t to be on this occasion but that’s not to say, whether it’s next year or the year after, we’re going to have chances in this competition. I do really believe that."