Harriet Dart captured her first WTA title at the Guangzhou Open in China, defeating rising Austrian teenager Lilli Tagger. Dart, ranked world number 115, credited her former Wimbledon champion coach Marion Bartoli for the breakthrough victory. Bartoli, the 2013 Wimbledon champion, has been coaching Dart on a part-time basis since the start of the season.
Dart finished the tournament as the world number 115, projecting a rise to 83rd in the WTA rankings on Monday. The win caps a stunning second half of the season for Dart, who has won 19 of her 24 tour-level matches on hard courts since Wimbledon. Dart's overall WTA Tour record this season stands at 23 victories from 34 matches, her highest winning percentage of career.
The partnership between Dart and Bartoli has been instrumental in her revival. Bartoli, 42, still hits the ball well in practice, providing Dart with valuable guidance. Without Bartoli on tour, Dart relied on observational notes.
Dart reached a career high of 70th in the world in 2024, making the Wimbledon third round and US Open second round. She has languished outside the top 100 for most of the past two seasons. In Guangzhou, Dart fought back from behind to answer doubts about her mentality and second serve.
Anne Keothavong, Britain's women's team captain, praised Dart's work ethic and professionalism. Keothavong selected Dart for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals squad despite not playing in the tie. Dart expressed gratitude for Bartoli's belief in her, stating it made her believe more in herself.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing