Australia happy to be favourites for BJK Cup play-offs

Spearheaded by teenage sensation Maya Joint, who will play Friday's second singles rubber against Portuguese world No.255 Matilde Jorge, Australia should win comfortably.

But stand-in skipper Nicole Pratt, while declining to reveal who will serve as Australia's other singles player, says it would be foolish to underestimate the European underdogs with so much at stake.

"We've done our homework, as we always do on our opponents, and we know, on paper, we are the favourite team," Pratt said on Thursday.

"We've got the highest ranked players.

"However we've all been around long enough to know when it comes to these competitions, a lot of the players elevate beyond their rankings and our players have done that in the past as well.

"So we certainly won't be taking anyone lightly given the rankings at the moment."

World No.95 Kim Birrell is expected fill the No.2 singles slot, with rising star Talia Gibson and Storm Hunter other options for Pratt.

"We don't want to show our hand," Pratt said.

Hunter will almost certainly partner with Ellen Perez in the doubles.

After a spectacular two-title season, Joint is pumped to be leading Australia into battle.

"It's been a massive year. A lot has happened," the 19-year-old world No.32 said after surging up the rankings in 2025.

"I remember being super nervous for the last time and still pretty nervous but I'm really excited and think we can do really well."

The Australians must top Group E to progress to next year's qualifying round in April, when seven spots will be up for grabs for the 2026 finals.

Runners-up in 2019 and 2022, Australia haven't won the time-honoured teams' event since 1974, when known as the Fed Cup and led by the great Evonne Goolagong Cawley.

Deputising for regular captain Sam Stosur, who is on maternity leave, Pratt knows the significance of getting through the play-offs.

"This is a really important tie for us. There's no question about that. We need to get through," she said.

"We certainly don't want to be back in the qualifying competition.

"So if we win through this one, we get a chance to compete for the trophy in 2026."