![\"Sonay](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/9c0362160701172f6cb9d1bb9e3d1dcd.jpeg\"\/)
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Sonay Kartal has been plagued by a lower back issue in recent weeks (Getty)<\/p>\n
British No 2 Sonay Kartal<\/a> has pulled out of the squad for the Billie Jean King Cup<\/a> qualifying tie against Australia, leaving the team without their top four highest-ranked players.<\/p>\n The tie comes at an awkward point in the season, taking place on hard courts with the European clay-court swing about to get underway.<\/p>\n Britain\u2019s highest-ranked player Emma Raducanu<\/a> was not included in the initial squad after choosing to focus on her clay-court season, with Katie Boulter<\/a> and Fran Jones opting out for the same reason.<\/p>\n Kartal, who is ranked 54th in the world, was set to lead the side in Melbourne next week but has had to pull out as she continues to struggle with a back injury.<\/p>\n The 24-year-old was forced to withdraw from her fourth-round encounter with Elena Rybakina<\/a> at the WTA<\/a> 1000 tournament in Indian Wells<\/a> last month due to the issue.<\/p>\n She wrote on Instagram: \u201cI had a feeling something wasn’t right with my back when I arrived in Miami and after having some scans, it’s clear that I’m going to need a little more time to let it heal.<\/p>\n \u201cSadly it means I won’t be joining the girls in Australia, but wishing them the best of luck for the tie.\u201d<\/p>\n Her exit from the Great Britain squad means world No 181 Harriet Dart<\/a> is the highest-ranked player in the team, with Katie Swan<\/a> drafted in as Kartal\u2019s replacement.<\/p>\n Swan became the youngest player to represent GB as a 16-year-old in 2016, when she made her debut against South Africa.<\/p>\n