Harriet Dart’s run came to a dramatic end in the second round as Anna Kalinskaya displayed her prowess, defeating the British number five in straight sets.
Dart, whose journey had been buoyed by a surprise three-set victory over fourth seed Linda Fruhvirtova, found herself in a fierce battle with the Russian, a match that spanned two days due to fading daylight.
Despite an early hiccup, losing her serve in the opening game, Dart surged back with two impressive breaks, establishing a commanding 5-2 lead. However, in a twist of fate, she was broken to love while attempting to serve out the set.
Harriet, clawed back to force a tie-breaker in the 12th game, giving Kalinskaya a taste of her own medicine. Yet, the Russian managed an extraordinary turnaround to claim the set.
The second set, comparatively straightforward, saw Dart putting up a valiant fight to level the score at 2-2 after falling behind 2-0.
However, Kalinskaya’s relentless play, winning four consecutive games and capitalizing on break points, secured her place in the quarter-finals, a triumph achieved in precisely one hour and 45 minutes.
