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 tiebreaker.
“She was 6-2 down. She’s got nothing to lose at that point,” Boulter said. “I think I played into her strengths at that point as well, thinking back on it. At the end of the day, it’s a match that I don’t think I did that much wrong at 6-2 in the tiebreak. I don’t think that’s why I lost the match. I think there are a few other things that I can improve on in those moments.
“Look, I mean, I’ve been playing some of the best tennis that I’ve been playing. I’ve got another title a couple weeks ago. It’s not like there’s much wrong with my tennis. It’s just on the day, I didn’t have the best one.”
The pair were born a week apart and were deadlocked at 8-all in the tiebreaker when Boulter’s big forehand failed her.
Slicing Dart off the court, Boulter set up the point perfectly but missed a forehand to face match point. Boulter framed one final forehand ending the battle of Britain.
Though British media—and some of their cold post-match handshakes—long suggest there is no love lost between the pair, they exchanged an emotional embrace at net.
Asked directly about their relationship today, Boulter said she respects her long-time rival and British teammate.
“Look, we’re Billie Jean King Cup teammates,” Boulter said. “We’ve been through this long journey together. I wish her the very best. I hope she goes far in this tournament.”
Next up for Dart is China’s Wang Xinyu, who scored her first career Top 10 win upsetting fifth-seeded Jessica Pegula 6-4, 6-7(8), 6-1. Pegula saved five championship points to beat Anna Kalinskaya and win the Berlin title on grass last month.
