Britain's Dart wins first WTA title of her career

Britain's Harriet Dart secured her first WTA Tour singles title of her career by defeating Austrian teenager Lilli Tagger in the Guangzhou Open final. The 30-year-old British player, ranked 115th in the world, was visibly emotional after a hard-fought 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory. Dart had twice had the lead in the final wiped out by Tagger, but eventually broke for a third time to win the match.

She held two championship points in the ninth game, although Tagger eventually secured the match. Dart's triumph marked a remarkable run, as she had to qualify for the tournament and reached her first tour-level final at the WTA 250 event. The win propelled Dart back into the world's top 100, and she will now enter the main draw of the Australian Open in January.

Dart's success this week has been attributed to her resilience and ability to recover from difficult positions. She had won four of the last seven matches against Tagger, including this final. The victory is a testament to Dart's impressive second half of the season, where she played consistently well and gained confidence. Dart's ranking peaked at 70th in 2024, and she had made the Wimbledon third round and the US Open second round.

Working with former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli has been a significant factor in Dart's resurgence, leading to a 19-5 record on hard courts this season and a career-high winning percentage of 68%. Tagger, who defeated seven-time major champion Venus Williams to reach the final, praised Dart's achievement.