Mika Stojsavljevic stuns Talia Gibson in Billie Jean King Cup debut

MELBOURNE: Teenager Mika Stojsavljevic delivered a remarkable debut, upsetting higher-ranked Australian Talia Gibson to give Great Britain a 1-0 lead in their Billie Jean King Cup tie on Thursday.

The 17-year-old, ranked world No. 275, overcame a gap of over 200 ranking places, earning a straight-sets victory, 7-6 (7-4), 7-5, after just over two hours of play.

Stojsavljevic edged a tense opening set in a tie-break, briefly losing a 3-1 lead but showing composure in crucial moments.

In the second set, Gibson pushed aggressively, testing Stojsavljevic by creating five break points in a key game.

However, Stojsavljevic responded confidently under pressure, saving all five break points before eventually converting her first match point to seal a memorable win.

After her win, Stojsavljevic said she was overwhelmed and could barely recall the final point.

"It feels amazing. I can't believe it. I can't even remember the last point," Stojsavljevic said. "I had amazing support from the side and managed to get through.

The win is significant for British tennis, as the team is missing top players Emma Raducanu, Sonay Kartal, Katie Boulter, and Fran Jones, all ranked inside the WTA top 100.

Earlier, Stojsavljevic won the 2024 US Open junior title and balanced her early professional career with school, even sitting GCSE exams while competing on the WTA circuit.

Britain’s Harriet Dart will face Australia’s Kimberly Birrell in the second singles, with doubles and reverse singles to follow.

The winner will advance to the Billie Jean King Cup finals in Shenzhen, China, in September, while the loser enters the November play-offs.