MALAGA, Spain — Slovakia staged an impressive comeback to secure a 2-1 victory over Britain, earning a place in the Billie Jean King Cup final for the first time in over 20 years on Tuesday.

Viktoria Hruncakova and Tereza Mihalikova clinched the victory in the pivotal doubles match, defeating Olivia Nicholls and Heather Watson with a commanding score of 6-2, 6-2. This win marked Slovakia’s return to the final since 2002, where they will compete against Italy, last year’s runners-up, on Wednesday.

Britain aimed to break a four-decade drought without reaching the final of this prestigious women’s team event.

The match was set up for a thrilling conclusion after Rebecca Sramkova came from behind to defeat Katie Boulter 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, leveling the tie for Slovakia after Britain initially took the lead.

Emma Raducanu secured the first point for Britain by defeating Hruncakova 6-4, 6-4 in the opening singles match, ending Hruncakova’s impressive winning streak of six matches in the competition, which included both singles and doubles.

“It was a really tough battle today,” Raducanu shared. “I’m quite pleased with how I managed to keep my composure and push through in both sets.”

Britain last reached the semifinals in 2022, where they faced a loss against Australia.

Slovakia’s journey to the semifinals was noteworthy, as it was their first appearance at this stage since 2013. They had previously reached the semifinals in 2002, securing the title against Spain.

The Slovak team made a significant statement by upsetting 18-time champions the United States in the first round and later beating Australia in the quarterfinals. In comparison, Britain achieved 2-0 victories over both Germany and the defending champions, Canada, in their quarterfinal matches.

This edition of the women’s team tournament is significant as it is hosted at the same location and during the same timeframe as the Davis Cup, and for the second consecutive year, it is offering equal prize money to both men’s and women’s competitions.