Harriet Dart said she felt "under the weather" as she exited the US Open in the second round, losing to Marie Bouzkova 6-2, 6-2 amid high temperatures in New York.
Dart, ranked 131st in the world, struggled to find a rhythm during the match, which took place as temperatures approached 30 degrees Celsius. She employed ice towels and cold-air hoses at changeovers in an attempt to cool down.
"I have been a bit under the weather. It is what it is, sadly," Dart, 30, stated after the match. "It was quite warm. I had a temperature, I was trying to cool down. I've played many weeks in a row."
She also noted the challenges of transitioning between the hot outdoor conditions and air-conditioned indoor spaces. "I am not used to air conditioning being pumped everywhere. We go from really hot outside to freezing inside," she said. Dart credited her opponent, adding, "All credit to my opponent, she is an incredibly tough player, so even if I had been at full capacity, I don't know."
Dart's performance on serve was hampered, with eight double faults and only 45% of her first serves landing in. Bouzkova secured an early lead, winning seven consecutive games to take the first set and establish a double break in the second.
Bouzkova advanced to the third round, where she is set to face Polish eighth seed Iga Swiatek. Dart's departure follows that of her compatriot Katie Boulter, who was defeated in the second round on Wednesday. Several British men also exited the tournament in the early rounds, including Jacob Fearnley and Toby Samuel in the second round, and Cameron Norrie, Arthur Fery, Harry Wendelken, and Jan Choinski in the first round. Britain's Fran Jones remains the last remaining Briton in either singles draw and is scheduled to play American 14th seed Iva Jovic.