Harriet Dart wins at Wimbledon to set up potential British clash with Boulter
Harriet Dart celebrates her first-round victory at Wimbledon. Photograph: Zac Goodwin/PA
Harriet Dart, the British No 2, was the first home player into the second round on day two at Wimbledon, overcoming China’s Bai Zhouxuan in straight sets either side of the first rain delay of this year’s tournament.
Dart, who reached the quarter-finals at Eastbourne last month, settled quickly and was soon carving out opportunities on her opponent’s serve. Break points came and went, however, and it was her own serve that came under pressure in the ninth game before an exceptional forehand winner clinched the hold.
With light rain already starting to fall, Dart finally got the break in the next game to take the opening set, 6-4, and carried that into the second, opening a 3-0 lead before the covers came on.
The players were off court for just over an hour, but Dart returned relentless and went a double break up with a pinpoint return down the line. A near-flawless second set was wrapped up when Bai, ranked five places in front of her opponent as the world No 95, double-faulted on match point.
“In the last few weeks, I’ve had some really good matches, some have gone my way and some haven’t,” Dart said. “I’ve been trying to build on it and I played some good tennis, I was really clinical out there and I’m proud of that.”
Katie Boulter, the British No 1, got the better of a tight three-set match against Dart in the first round at Nottingham last month, and is a potential second-round opponent for Dart as she seeks to reach the third round for the first time since 2019.
“We had a really tough battle in Nottingham, she’s playing incredibly well,” Dart said. “But whoever you play at a slam, it’s going to be incredibly tough.
“I look like such a baby looking back at the photos [of 2019], but I’m definitely a better player now. I feel like I’ve improved on so many things, and I’ve still got a lot more to improve on.
“You can’t take any of these moments for granted, because you don’t know how many years you’re going to play or what’s around the corner.
“Going out in round one [in 2023] was quite heartbreaking for me but also put me in a place where I had to dig deep from. I think things happen for a reason and this year I just want to focus on the process and how I can put myself in a position to win matches.”