Great Britain's hopes of reaching a Fed Cup World Group II play-off are all but over after they lost 3-0 to Austria in Portugal.
GB started their qualifying campaign with a win over Bosnia were swept aside by Austria, with Anne Keothavong's return from injury ending in a 6-2, 6-2 defeat by Patricia Mayr.
British number one Elena Baltacha then lost 6-3, 6-3 to Sybille Bammer, before Mayr and Yvonne Meusburger beating Keothavong and Sarah Borwell 6-4, 6-4 in the dead doubles rubber.
British captain Nigel Sears admitted: "Naturally I'm disappointed, but we were beaten by a better team on the day.
"It was a lot to ask from Annie. I took a risk putting her in after being out for a long time, but she had been playing so well in practice I thought it was worth the risk.
"Unfortunately she couldn't come up with it today, although Mayr played very well. It was a risk I took that didn't come off."