By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Thursday, July 4, 2024
Photo credit: Rob Newell/CameraSport
A British battle cry erupted in the third-set tiebreaker.
Facing 2-6 deficit, an emotional Harriet Dart paused to shed tears behind the baseline.
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After that cathartic cry, Dart turned tiebreaker into heartbreaker for British No. 1 Katie Boulter.
A determined Dart reeled off eight of the final 10 points in the match tiebreaker forging a 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(8) comeback conquest of Boulter.
The 100th-ranked Dart avenged her three hour, 13-minute Nottingham loss to Boulter beating her childhood rival for just the second time in eight meetings.
“I wear my emotions on my sleeve so you see everything how I’m thinking, unfortunately, but I’m so happy to be able to get through,” Dart said. “My head-to-head is absolutely woeful against Katie Boulter so I wasn’t expecting too much but at the same time I just tried my best out there and even though I was down in that tiebreak I just thought ‘give it everything, no regrets’ and I’m really pleased to be able to battle through.”
It is Dart’s 11th career Top 50 triumph and sends her into her second Wimbledon third round.
Dart joins wild card Emma Raducanu and qualifier Sonay Kartal in round three marking the first time since 1984 that three or more British women reached the third round of Wimbledon singles. Back in 1984, Virginia Wade, Jo Durie, Annabel Croft, Anne Hobbs and Julie Salmon made the third round.
This tense Battle of Britain was staged on No. 1 Court before the nation’s top two-ranked men, new British No. 1 Jack Draper and Cameron Norrie, engaged in an all-lefty duel on the same court. British No. 2 Norrie defeated Draper, who knocked out Wimbledon winner Carlos Alcaraz at Queen’s Club last month, 7-6(3), 6-4, 7-6(8).
It’s an absolutely excruciating defeat for Boulter, who betrayed her own cause committing 75 unforced errors, including nine double faults.
To Boulter’s credit, she showed class in the aftermath crediting Dart for out-playing her in the end.
“I just had a tough day at the office. Not my best tennis today unfortunately,” Boulter said. “But it’s what happens sometimes.
“I’ve just got to take it on the chin. She played well. It is what it is.”
The 32nd-seeded Boulter, who was tied for the Tour lead with most grass-court wins this season, said she didn’t notice Dart dissolving into tears when down 2-6 in the…
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