Emma Raducanu gave herself a belated birthday present by finally taking her sixth match point to get Great Britain off to a winning start over Germany at the Billie Jean King Cup finals.
The British No.2 had not played for 54 days after suffering a foot ligament injury at the Korean Open in September.
And the former US Open champion looked to be making up for lost time when she won the first set and took a 5-2 lead in the second against Jule Niemeier.
But Raducanu failed to take her first five match points – including serving a double fault on her first – before triumphing 6-4, 6-4 in one hour and 55 minutes in Malaga.
And after celebrating her 22nd birthday on Wednesday confined to her hotel, the Bromley-based star shared her joy with the travelling British fans who sang happy birthday to her in the 3,564-capacity arena at the Palacio de Deportes.
Raducanu served superbly – she sent down 10 aces – and attacked the second serve of the German. Neimeier made only 44 per cent of first serves – and won only 40 per cent of points on her second serve as she was broken four times.
Raducanu is now unbeaten for her country this year after winning both singles matches against France in April to help Team GB to qualify for the finals.
She said: “I think I played some really good tennis today.. Playing Jule on an indoor hardcourt is not easy. You try to hold your serve break when you can.
“I have not played a match in a long time so I think these are small sharpness things that come.I am very proud of the way I regrouped and managed to close it out in the final game.”
Captain Anne Keothavong’s team need one more win – from Katie Boulter’s singles match or in the doubles – to set up a quarter-final with defending champions Canada on Sunday.
Raducanu could not take her first break point at 2-2 after a German double fault as she sent her forehand long.
But the world No.58 made no mistake in the next game as she hammered a forehand winner on a second serve from Niemeier to break to lead 4-3.
The next 10-minute game proved crucial as Raducanu saved five break points – two with aces – to lead 5-3.
The first point of the next game saw Neimeier frame a smash into the crowd on the first point and a British fan caught the ball one-handed to huge applause.
Raducanu then served out the set by taking the first of three set points when Neimeier could not return a big first serve after 49 minutes.
The British No.2 threatened to run away with the match when she took her third break point in the opening game of the second set with a brilliant backhand return winner and then led 2-0.
Neimeier showed fight by finally breaking the Raducanu serve after 78 minutes when the former world No.10 hit a weak backhand into the net.
But Raducanu immediately broke back with the help of a net cord to set up two break points at 15-40 and Neimeier hit a backhand into the net on the second.
The Brit then broke again to lead 5-2 when she smashed another backhand return into the German’s backhand on a second serve.
Serving for the match at 5-2, Raducanu sent down two double faults – including on her first match point – before Neimeier broke back with a net cord on a forehand.
The German saved three more match points in the next game – the first two from 15-40 and the third after a double fault – before forcing Raducanu to serve for the match for a second time.
She had a fifth match point at 40-30 but missed sent a short forehand long after Neimeier had committed to go the other way before finally closing out the match when the German dumped a forehand into the net.
The start of the tie had been delayed to 6.40pm local time as Iga Swiatek’s Poland knocked out hosts Spain.
Madga Linette needed three hours and 51 minutes – only nine minutes short of the longest match in the event’s history – to beat Sara Sorribes Tormo 7-6 2-6 6-4.
“I feel I want to be happy and want to cry at the same time,” said Linette. “I hate playing Sara so much”, said Linette. “I knew it was going to take me four hours and it did. I’m so happy, I’ve never beaten her before and I gave everything I had today. I am really proud.”
World No.2 Swiatek then spoiled Paula Badosa’s 27th birthday by seeing off the Spanish No.1 6-3 6-7 6-1.
Home fans will now look forward to next week’s Davis Cup Final 8 here where Rafa Nadal will make his final appearance.
