Harriet Dart says having a Grand Slam champion in her team has given her more belief in herself after winning the Guangzhou Open in China.
The 30-year-old Brit enjoyed a fairy-tale run at the WTA 250 event, where she had to come through two rounds of qualifying to make it into the main draw. Dart defeated three seeded players, including second seed Janice Tjen in the second round and fifth seed Paula Badosa in the quarter-finals.
Then in her first WTA final, the underdog produced another stellar performance by defeating Austrian rising star Lilli Tagger 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. Tagger is 12 years younger than her and is currently ranked 53rd in the world, eight places below her career high.
“I’ll try not to get too emotional,” said Dart, who will return back into the top 100 on Monday for the first time since November 2024.
“A big thank you to my team this week. It’s amazing to play in front of such a big crowd.
“It’s been so much fun here and I really appreciate it and hope to be back next year.”
One of those watching Dart’s triumph in China was Marion Bartoli, who won the 2013 Wimbledon championships and is a former world No.7. Bartoli, who works as a tennis analyst for TV broadcasters, joins the Brit’s team on a part-time basis at the start of this season.
“It’s been quite incredible to work with Marion, and I was really fortunate she was open to working with me,” Dart said during an interview with BBC Sport.
“I’m obviously at a very different stage of my career to someone who is, say, 20. But I still feel I have a lot to improve and there are gains to be made.
“She really believes in me – that means the world to me. Seeing a Grand Slam champion having that belief has made me believe a lot more in myself.”
Dart has played the qualifying rounds of her last five tournaments and has reached the main draw every time. She has won one main draw match at both the US Open and China Open before losing in the second round. Overall, she has won 19 of her 24 Tour-level matches on the hard courts since Wimbledon.
“More than anything, Marion is just a great person. She cares about me as a person first and foremost, as well as improving me as a tennis player, of course,” Dart said.
“It’s been invaluable and amazing for her to share her experiences to make me better.
“I’ve learned a lot from her and look forward to continuing to learn more. I hope we will be able to spend more weeks together next year.”
Dart is projected to rise to 83rd in the WTA rankings, more than 10 places below her personal best of 70th. She has reached the third round at Wimbledon twice in what is her best Grand Slam result to date.
