Harriet Dart’s Wimbledon dream slips away in painful loss
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British tennis player Harriet Dart was defeated by Wang Xinyu in the third round, losing six consecutive games. This loss was a disappointing setback for Dart, who missed the opportunity to make history at Wimbledon.
Dart had not advanced to the final 16 of a major tournament since she first competed in the main draw at the All England Club six years ago. Despite facing windy weather and delays due to rain, she managed to take a 5-4 lead in the second set. However, she made a crucial mistake when she missed an easy smash volley at deuce.
This was as close as Dart would come to winning a point, but she struggled to maintain her focus in the third set. She had started strong, taking a three-game lead, but couldn't sustain her performance. This loss to Wang marked the end of Dart's impressive run at the Championships.
A highly emotional win against Katie Boulter on Thursday secured Dart a spot in the third round at SW19 for the first time in five years.
China's Wang blocked the path to a possible historic moment for the British player, who had previously defeated Wang in their only other match during the 2022 Gippsland Trophy qualifiers in Melbourne. However, the start time of 11am was delayed due to rain.
When the game started two hours later, the windy weather caused three breaks of serve in the first four games. Dart's strong performance helped her take a 3-1 lead early on.
The rain came back just as Dart was serving and Wang managed to break her right after the match resumed at 2:48pm. However, Dart, ranked at number 100 in the world, fought back strongly with a great backhand shot, quickly taking the lead at 4-2.
A well-executed shot from Dart earned her the first set after a brief interruption from rain. The match on Court Two then continued under clear skies.
Breaks were traded during the fourth and fifth service games of the second set before Dart showed resilience to hold her serve for a 4-3 lead.
The fans at the stadium cheered for Dart when she made a mistake and fell behind 15-30 in her next serving turn. However, she collected herself and missed a great opportunity to win the match.
Dart made a mistake with a shot at the net during a crucial point in the game, giving Wang a chance to tie the score at 5-5. Wang was able to break Dart's serve right after, leading to a final set to determine the winner.
Now, Dart faced a challenge to her mental strength. But after hitting her racket bag in frustration, the player from Hampstead regained her focus. She held her own and slowly wore down Wang, eventually breaking her at the beginning of the third set.
In the match, Dart was able to gain a 3-0 lead after hitting a strong forehand shot down the line. However, in the fifth game, she made a mistake and lost her advantage by hitting a sloppy shot into the net. This allowed her opponent to gain momentum and take control of the match.
Wang once again emerged victorious as Dart's frustration mounted. Dart made a critical error by serving a double fault in the last game, allowing Wang, ranked 42nd in the world, to secure the win with a successful volley at the net.
