Disheartened Dart suffers painful US Open defeat
Harriet Dart hits a forehand return in her match against Marta Kostyuk at the 2024 US Open
Image source,Getty Images
Image caption,Harriet Dart reached the third round at Wimbledon in July and was looking to match that run at the US Open
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Britain’s Harriet Dart suffered a painful defeat as she lost to Ukrainian 19th seed Marta Kostyuk in the US Open second round at a sweltering Flushing Meadows.
The British number three, aiming to reach the third round for the first time in her career, produced an error-strewn performance in a 7-6 (12-10) 6-1 loss.
Dart hit 10 double faults as an afternoon where she made an encouraging start quickly turned sour.
In hot conditions, the 28-year-old led by a break three times in the first set and could not convert any of the five set points she created in the tie-break.
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Dart paid the price when 22-year-old Kostyuk took her third opportunity for the lead and, looking to have lost belief, she could not regain her confidence in a second set where she was broken three times.
Despite the disheartening nature of the defeat, Dart will move to a career-high ranking in the world’s top 70 after an encouraging season.
She was the only Briton in singles action on day three of the final Grand Slam event of the season.
Dan Evans, who came through the longest match in US Open history on Tuesday, is aiming to reach the third round on Thursday, with British number ones Jack Draper and Katie Boulter also bidding to continue their progress.
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Emotions high in difficult New York conditions
Conditions can often be difficult at the US Open, which takes place in the New York summer and regularly has matches played in oppressive heat.
This was one of those occasions. Temperatures hit 35C at Flushing Meadows as Dart faced Kostyuk in the maelstrom of the mid-afternoon sun.
Both players regularly needed ice towels to cool down and, looking flustered, struggled to stay composed in an erratic match which lacked quality.
Double faults were thrown around regularly from each server, including one by Kostyuk on a set point in the tie-break, with another from Dart also handing over the first break of the second set.
Wild returning was another feature of a match which, particularly in the first set, was a difficult watch.
Dart will become the British number two after the US Open, climbing above Emma Raducanu, when she rises the rankings on the back of her first-round victory over France’s Chloe Paquet.
Beating Kostyuk would have moved Dart into the top 60 and secured one of the biggest wins of her career by ranking.
She made a sharp start but was left to rue not being clinical enough in a scrappy first set and punishing Kostyuk, whose piercing roar at securing the lead indicated her own angst.
A suspect second serve has been something which Dart’s opponents have pounced on. Here, she punished herself with the volume of double faults.
Landing 46% of first serves in the match and winning just 28% of second-serve points, also starkly illustrated where the problems lie.
Dart looked close to tears at the start of the second set and continued to gesticulate towards her team, which was led by mum Susie who has been coaching her in New York.
Reassuring words could not help a demoralised Dart settle back into her rhythm and the fight was sucked out of her.
Kostyuk, who had played far below her ranking, suddenly relaxed as a result of her opponent’s problems and wrapped up a victory which was more comfortable than it should have been.
