Dart replaced Jodie Burrage following her nightmare debut in the competition on Saturday and the 27-year-old claimed the decisive point in a 3-1 victory that keeps Anne Keothavong’s side at the elite level of the competition.
Given Sweden were without their top two players and did not have anyone ranked inside 350 to call on, defeat – particularly on home soil – was unthinkable.
Ultimately they recovered well from Burrage’s collapse against Kajsa Rinaldo Persson, with Boulter overcoming some difficult moments in a 6-1 7-6 (5) win over the same player for her second win of the weekend before Dart defeated Caijsa Hennemann 7-5 6-2.
It was no surprise to see Keothavong opt for the greater experience of Dart ahead of Burrage, who will hope that she is given another chance to prove herself in 2024.
Boulter has established herself as the clear British number one this season and it was appropriate she ended her year by playing the leading role for her country at the same venue where in 2019 she suffered a serious back injury that badly stalled her progress.
It was not until earlier this season that she finally returned to the top 100, and this time she has built on the breakthrough while avoiding injury, currently sitting at 58 in the rankings.
“It’s been a whirlwind for many different reasons,” the 27-year-old said. “I think the work I’ve put in the last 10 years has really started to show.
“You never know when you’re going to get your little break. I finally got one this year and I felt like I used that momentum continuing from the grass-court season into the hard-court swing as well and I think that’s the part I’m most proud of.
“I sit here and I can say I love the grass and I love playing in England and I love the British crowd but it’s the other tournaments around the rest of the year that make the difference and that’s what’s going to keep my ranking at the highest point.
“I’ve really stepped it up this year in consistency. I know it’s an uphill battle next year and I’m excited for it, it’s a challenge and it’s somewhere I haven’t been before.”
Boulter did not have things all her own way against Persson, who again played well above her ranking of 372.
The Swede had four chances to send the contest to a decider when she served for the second set at 5-3, but Boulter saved them all and finished the tie-break strongly.
Dart was the star of last year’s run to the semi-finals of the competition in Glasgow but she has endured a difficult season, dropping outside the top 100.
She will remember her win over Hennemann more for the significance than the performance, but she was solid in seeing off the world number 532 and looked emotional as she celebrated with her team-mates.
The triumph means Britain move forward to April’s qualifiers, where victory would see them reach the finals week by right for the first time.
The former US Open champion has made only one senior appearance for her country, in a tie against the Czech Republic in 2022, missing the finals event later that year, last April’s defeat by France and November’s victory over Sweden because of her wrist problems.
GB captain Anne Keothavong was also unimpressed by Raducanu claiming she did not know when last year’s France tie was when asked about her possible participation.
There is no doubt that a fit Raducanu would strengthen Keothavong’s options for the France rematch on April 12-13, but the 21-year-old was cautious when asked whether the competition is a priority for her.
She said: “Of course I always love representing my country but, that being said, because of the amount of niggles and the rehab process, I think whatever suits my schedule and my fitness the best is going to have to take priority, especially this year.
“For example, if there’s a change in surface straightaway, too close in succession, I think I’d have to evaluate what I do. The most sensible thing for me is staying healthy. That’s the priority for the year.
“I can’t say either way. But my intention is good, I want to play.”
The tie will be played on indoor clay, which is the same surface as the following week’s tournament in Stuttgart, owned by Raducanu’s sponsor Porsche, that she has already committed to.
The 21-year-old had more physical problems in her second-round loss at the Australian Open to Wang Yafan on Thursday, but it was an unfortunately-timed stomach bug rather than any injury worry.
Raducanu was able to finish what was a long and physical match, and leaves Australia encouraged by the early stages of her comeback following operations on both wrists and one ankle last spring.
“I’m very positive, very happy with how my body is,” she said. “I think the wrist in particular was something that I struggled with in coming back because I just had a setback for a few months, so I couldn’t play until late November again really.
“Now I feel good. Ankle feels good. I think, if I keep my work consistent, I have a good shot. This is obviously only my first trip back.
“I think that tidying up some of the areas, tidying up a bit of technique and things, also just getting used to playing matches outdoors, as well, because the conditions were very windy.
“I think she (Wang) handled it a lot better, the wind. She junk-balled me. She moon-balled me. She gave me a lot of these scrappy little shots, but it worked. I need to spend more time on tour, spend more time training, and putting good weeks together.”
Raducanu is next expected to play at the Abu Dhabi Open, beginning on February 5, where she has been given a wild card.
The British number one confidently drew the hosts level on Saturday after Jodie Burrage’s shock defeat and then battled to a 6-1 7-6 (5) victory over Kajsa Rinaldo Persson in Sunday’s opening rubber.
Persson had won 12 of 13 games after trailing debutante Burrage 4-0 and really troubled Boulter in the second set, which she served for at 5-3.
But Boulter saved four set points and took her first match point in the tie-break to put Britain 2-1 ahead and within one win of claiming overall victory and maintaining their place at the elite level of the competition.
Boulter picked up where she had left off in a 6-2 6-1 win over Caijsa Hennemann by breezing through the first set but Persson, who played two tournaments in Britain to prepare for the tie, dug in well at the start of the second, with the pair swapping immediate breaks.
The Swede was again playing well above her lowly ranking of 372 and it appeared a deciding set was looming when Boulter’s timing went awry and Persson broke to lead 5-3.
She moved into a 40-0 lead trying to serve it out but Boulter benefited from a lucky net cord and then a nervy double fault from her opponent, going on to save a fourth set point before breaking back.
There was little to choose between them in the tie-break but Boulter played two strong points on her own serve from 4-5 and roared in celebration when Persson put a final shot wide.
