Harriet Dart became the fourth British woman into the main draw of the Australian Open after winning her final qualifying round.
The 23-year-old has not dropped a set during the three rounds of qualifying and rarely looked like doing so again in a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Giulia Gatto-Monticone.
The world No169 joins Johanna Konta, Heather Watson and Katie Boulter, who had already automatically qualified on their ranking.
Dart’s opponent in the first round will be announced when all the qualifying matches have been completed.
Watson missed out on a place in the final at the Hobart International, where she had won her second WTA Tour title, in 2015 following a narrow 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 defeat to Elena Rybakina, the tournament’s third seed and the current world No30. Watson and Britain’s Fed Cup hopes, meanwhile, have been dealt a blow by the news that British No1 and world No13 Konta, 28, will not take any part in the event in her ongoing battle with a knee injury.
“I need to take care of my body and take some decisions which are not always easy,” said Konta, who has only played one tournament since September’s US Open.
