The start of their final match against Russia was delayed due to rain, but play eventually got underway at the Vilamoura Tennis Academy.

Lucy Shuker gave the British team an ideal start to the tie when she faced Russia’s Viktoriia Lvova.

The Briton won the opening set of the match 6-3, before dominating the second, claiming it 6-1 to wrap up victory.

The result gave Louise Hunt the opportunity to win the contest overall only for the Briton to falter against Ludmila Bubnova.

Bubnova clinched a 7-5, 6-3 win to level proceedings, leaving the doubles rubber as the decider.

Shuker and Hunt combined, though, to good effect against Lvova and Polina Shalkirova.

They edged the first set 7-5 before storming to the second by a score of 6-1 to win the tie.

The event was the final continental qualification tournament for the World Team Cup Final in The Netherlands.

Britain will now take their spot at the World Team Cup final, due to take place in Apeldoorn from May 28 to June 3.

Qualifiers had already taken place in the Americas, Africa and Asia and Oceania.

The United States men's team and the Argentina women's team were the successful qualifiers from the Americas while Morocco's men and Kenya's women qualified from Africa.

The most recent event, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, saw Japan's men and South Korea's women book their places in Apeldoorn from the Asia and Oceania section.