Wildcard Dart was set up for a tie with world No. 4 Elena Rybakina before the 2022 Wimbledon champion withdrew earlier in the week. Against 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, the 27-year-old went a set up before falling on the wrong side of a tie-break.
She came back in the decider to motor through to the quarter-finals by taking the third in emphatic fashion, winning 6-3 6-7(3) 6-0. She said: “It was a really tough match. She’s a tough player, I was really pleased to get the win and regroup after that second set tie-break and come out firing in the third.
“I really battled my way through. “My plan was to try and finish points a bit quicker and today it worked.” 🔥 @harriet_dart battles through to the quarter-finals in Eastbourne! #BackTheBrits 🇬🇧 | #RothesayInternational pic.
twitter.com/pnk3nMH5Sb The British No. 2 powered into the second round following a marathon match against world No.
37 Marie Bouzkova in the first, her biggest win of the season by ranking. That match provided Brit with a wealth of experience on the surface in the build-up to Wimbledon where she will take to the main draw next week in singles, as well as teaming up with last year’s quarter-finalist Maia Lumsden for doubles. In Eastbourne, victory set up a tie with Canada’s Leylah Fernandez as Dart switches her focus to that match and recovering from an injury niggle picked up during her second-round tie.
Since the tournament’s inception 50 years ago in 1974, it is the secon.
