Harriet Dart and Billy Harris shine, while Watson and Jones are knocked out of the qualifying
Harriet Dart and Billy Harris are flying the flag for Great Britain as they advance to the final qualifying round for the Australian Open. But, despite their triumphs, it was a bittersweet day for the British contingent, with Heather Watson and Fran Jones both falling short in their qualifying matches at Melbourne Park.
Dart, who has recently slipped outside the world’s top 100, had a tough start but showed her grit to overpower Australian teenager Taylah Preston. After losing the first set in a tense tiebreaker 6-7 (7-9), Dart rebounded with impressive resilience, securing a 6-1 6-2 victory. The win sets her up for a crucial showdown with Japan’s Nao Hibino on Thursday. Despite the setbacks in recent months, Dart is determined to make her mark in Melbourne, hoping for a successful entry into the main draw.
Meanwhile, Billy Harris delivered an emphatic performance to reach the final round of qualifying. Harris, who made his Grand Slam debut at Wimbledon last year, dominated his match against Spain’s Carlos Taberner. In just 70 minutes, the British player powered past his opponent 6-1 6-2, showing his growing confidence at the international level. Harris now faces Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak in the final round, where he will hope to continue his fine form.
However, the day was not as kind to other British hopefuls. Fran Jones, in a hard-fought battle, lost to Switzerland’s Jil Teichmann, 4-6 7-6 (15-13) 6-3. The match, which stretched over nearly three hours, saw Jones give it her all but fall just short in the decisive moments. Watson also faced a tough challenge, losing 3-6 6-3 6-1 to American Varvara Lepchenko. Watson’s defeat marked the end of her bid for a spot in the main draw.
Dart and Harris are now the last British players standing in the qualifying rounds. The final step requires players to win three matches to secure a coveted spot in the main draw, which begins on Sunday. While the pressure mounts, both Dart and Harris will be eager to seize the opportunity and keep their dreams of a successful Australian Open alive.
In other news from Melbourne Park, Brazilian teenage sensation Joao Fonseca moved a step closer to his first-ever major main-draw appearance. Fonseca, aged just 18, made a statement with a resounding 6-0 6-3 win over Coleman Wong in just 53 minutes. Fonseca’s rise has been meteoric, having recently become the second-youngest winner of the Next Gen ATP Finals. With such form, many expect Fonseca to be a major contender in future tournaments.
Britain’s hopes are not yet over. With Katie Boulter, Emma Raducanu, Sonay Kartal, Jodie Burrage, Jack Draper, Cameron Norrie, and Jacob Fearnley all receiving direct entry into the main singles draw, the British presence at this year’s Australian Open remains strong.
As qualifying continues, all eyes will be on Dart and Harris, hoping they can overcome their final hurdles and make their mark in Melbourne.
