By Salma El-Sakka
British tennis player Harriet Dart claimed her first WTA Tour singles title on Sunday, defeating Austrian teenager Lilli Tagger 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the Guangzhou Open final.
Comeback victory secures top-100 return
The 30-year-old, ranked 115th in the world, came through qualifying to reach her first tour-level final. She twice lost a lead in the deciding set before breaking for 4-3 and sealing the match on her third championship point. The win will lift Dart back into the world's top 100, guaranteeing direct entry into the Australian Open main draw in January.
Resilience defines Dart's breakthrough week
Dart's triumph capped a week in which she won four matches after losing the first set. The victory extends a strong second half of the season for the British number five, who has won 19 of 24 tour-level hard-court matches since Wimbledon. Working with former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli has been a key factor in her resurgence.
Tagger impressed despite loss
Tagger, 18 and ranked 53rd, is the 2025 French Open junior champion. She praised Dart after the match, acknowledging the British player's impressive year.
