British tennis player Heather Watson is confident the nation's Fed Cup team can beat Slovakia this week despite the absence of No 1 player Johanna Konta.

Konta has decided not to play in this year's Fed Cup in a bid to protect her body from injuries.

But Watson, who is now the highest ranked British player competing for the team, is not phased about stepping into her shoes.

Speaking to BBC Sport, she said: "This time round I am playing as the number one player for Great Britain because Johanna Konta won't be there. I've played number one before a few times so it doesn't feel too different, and I'm just really excited about the matches this week.

"I know the girls in the team really well. We're all equal and we're good friends, so being number one doesn't make it any different in that sense."

Watson missed one of Britain's Fed Cup ties last year in Bath through illness.

And despite the fact that she did eventually play in front of a home crowd, the 27 year-old is still extremely excited and happy to be there from the beginning of this campaign.

"It was such a shame - after playing Fed Cup for all those years I had never been part of a home tie," she added. "And then we were finally at home in Bath but I was literally bed-bound for the whole week with illness, even afterwards as well.

"I was live-streaming all the girls' matches every day, they just did so well. Then in April I was part of the team that won the tie against Kazakhstan at the Copper Box in London, and that was an amazing experience.

"A year on from Bath, I am coming into this week's tie against Slovakia feeling really happy. It will be my 32nd tie and if we win, we will get through to April's first ever Fed Cup Finals in Budapest."