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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
JOE KRISHNAN

Harriet Dart battles past Beatriz Haddad Maia to reach Wimbledon third round

Harriet Dart produced a battling performance to see off Beatriz Haddad Maia and reach the third round of Wimbledon for the first time in her career.

The 22-year-old got off to a flying start before being forced to a tiebreak and despite a setback in the second set, she dug deep to edge past the Brazilian 7-6, 3-6, 6-1.

It was only her fourth appearance at a Grand Slam and her second time at Wimbledon, but Dart showed a maturity in her play that many young players lack.

The London-born youngster started perfectly, breaking Haddad Maia in the first set and holding to take a 2-0 lead.

Dart was in a prime position to clinch the first set, serving at 5-3 up, but a catalogue of errors allow Haddad Maia to get back into the set as she won three games in a row.

Still, Dart refused to be denied what she felt was rightfully hers and a supreme display in the tiebreak finally enabled her to take the opening set.

Haddad Maia had dumped 2017 champion Garbine Muguruza out in the first round and started to show just why she was able to do that, showing the aggressive side to her game.

Dart failed to take advantage of a 40-0 lead at 3-3 and invited Haddad Maia back into the match as she broke twice to take it to a deciding set.

Harriet Dart in action on Court 12. (AFP/Getty Images)

But after the qualifier suffered a hip problem in the third set, requiring the physio on court, Dart moved onto a level of her own, taking a double break to lead 5-1.

Armed with two match points, Haddad Maia hit a tame backhand into the net and the crowd roared in delight for Dart, who now faces Ashleigh Barty in the next round.

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