Talia Gibson did not have to be asked twice to spearhead Australia’s Billie Jean King Cup campaign against Great Britain, with the rising star happily putting the green and gold above her personal ambitions.<\/p>\n
Less than five months ago at the qualifiers in Hobart the Perth native was yet to play a cup tie, but is now Australia’s top-ranked player for the Melbourne clash this week.<\/p>\n
That comes on the back of a stunning start to the year with the 21-year-old rocketing from world number 119 to 56 since January, and the injury-enforced withdrawal of world number 30 Maya Joint.<\/p>\n
Gibson’s dream US run ended<\/a><\/p>\n Aussie Talia Gibson will leave the US full of pride and confidence despite falling to Elena Rybakina in the fourth round of the Miami Open.<\/p>\n Kimberly Birrell is set to be Australia’s other singles player, with Storm Hunter and Ellen Perez teaming up for doubles.<\/p>\n Gibson became the youngest player in seven years to reach a quarter-final in her WTA 1000 debut last month, capping a whirlwind run which saw her down five top 20-ranked players.<\/p>\n “It’s still going to be a little while until I fully process it and get used to that feeling of really being inside top 100,” Gibson said.<\/p>\n “It was just really exciting for me to have been able to tick off so many awesome goals, and I’m just really proud of where I am right now.”<\/p>\n The visitors will be without their four best players with Emma Raducanu, Katie Boulter and Francesca Jones opting to avoid the long-haul flight to Australia and instead focus on the European clay-court swing.<\/p>\n British number two Sonay Kartal was forced out with a back injury.<\/p>\n Gibson said there was no temptation to skip the tie to try to keep her momentum on the WTA Tour.<\/p>\n “Not at all, it was an immediate yes for me to be on the team and it always will [be],” she said.<\/p>\n