Harriet Dart has ended a 19-month wait for a Grand Slam singles victory, coming from behind to beat American Peyton Stearns in the first round of the US Open. The British qualifier secured the hard-fought win in a match lasting nearly two and a half hours.
Dart's triumph marks her first Grand Slam singles win since a previous victory over 19 months ago. The match saw Dart face early pressure, failing to convert four break points in the opening game. Stearns capitalized, breaking Dart's serve in the eighth game to take the first set. The American continued her momentum, breaking Dart again at the start of the second set.
However, Stearns' performance became increasingly erratic, with 47 unforced errors offsetting her 40 winners. Dart seized this opportunity, breaking Stearns' serve twice in the second set to force a decider. Midway through the third set, Dart gained a crucial advantage, holding serve in the sixth game after a run of three consecutive breaks. She then converted her fourth match point to seal the victory.
Dart acknowledged the supportive atmosphere in New York, which she considers a "home away from home." She noted the presence of family and friends in attendance, including her uncle and cousins who reside in the city, a cousin visiting from the UK, and her mother who had been present since the qualifying rounds, with her father arriving the night before.
Dart now joins fellow Britons Toby Samuel and Katie Boulter in advancing to the second round of the tournament.