HARRIET DART PROFESSIONAL

I would definitely tell myself to take my time a little bit more and not worry so much about losing in an under-14 event. It catches up on you when you get onto the tour. I see a lot of really good young players, but physically they're so behind. It's more about improving your game, developing yourself as an athlete. You get so caught up with being the best 14-year-old or 15-year-old when it really means nothing. You have this dream when you're that age and you don't realize the commitment and the choices from your parents, for example, that they make so that you are able to go places to be able to get training, travel abroad, play. Have more fun, enjoy it more, little things like that. When I look back I definitely would have told myself a few things to do differently.

HARRIET DART PROFESSIONAL

WTA Insider: At what point did you think you might want to try and become a professional tennis player?Дart: When I was about 13, I thought, I really want to do this. You get so caught up with being the best 14-year-old or 15-year-old when it really means nothing.'

My dad advised me to keep playing tennis because women in tennis, with Billie Jean King paving the way for equal prize money and all of that, the opportunities in tennis were better than in running. I had to choose at some point whether I was going to play tennis or long-distance. WTA Insider: Did you try any other sports?Дart: I was actually a decent long-distance runner. I used to go along to a lot of my mum's tennis matches, sit on the side of the court, and one day I just asked to play. WTA Insider: How did you come to play tennis?Дart: My mum comes from a background of playing tennis.

WTA Insider sat down with Dart to discuss her pathway to professional tennis, the break-up that forged a new steely resolve and the lessons she's learned. With victories over No.12 seed Elina Svitolina and Australian Open quarterfinalist Kaia Kanepi, Dart is closing in on her Top 100 debut. In 2020, the event was canceled due to the pandemic and in 2021, she was felled by a viral infection that landed her in the emergency room.Д«ut this year, playing as a qualifier, she has advanced to the Round of 16 at a WTA 1000 event for the first time, earning her first career win against a Top 20 opponent. The World No.122 had come to Indian Wells twice before but never took the court. Britain's Harriet Dart arrived in California for the BNP Paribas Open with one simple goal: just to be able to play the event. 'On grass it's different, everything is different and she's used to it, she's from here, so it's going to be a big challenge.'Дonna Vekic and Elena-Gabriela Ruse also advanced on the opening day in Birmingham.Д¬roatia's Vekic, runner-up in 2013, beat American Coco Vandeweghe 6-4 6-4, while Romania's Ruse came past Wang Qiang of China 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (14-12).ДЇrance's Caroline Garcia beat Viktorija Golubic of Switzerland 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 7-6 (8-6).Д«irmingham is the penultimate WTA event in the UK before Wimbledon begins on 27 June.INDIAN WELLS, Calif. She's doing great so it's going to be difficult,' Halep said. Halep, 30, did not defend her title at SW19 last year after injuring her calf, but put in an aggressive performance to beat Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko 6-1 6-4. Murray hopes injury will not derail grass seasonДart will face a tough task against former world number one Halep, who is playing in her first grass-court event since winning Wimbledon three years ago.Draper earns first top-20 win as Norrie loses at Queen's.I feel like I've made steps in that way.' 'It's not just about doing well here, it's about doing well the whole year. I definitely feel like I belong a lot more. 'I'm a lot happier now, I have a nice boyfriend now, which is nice. 'I went through a bad relationship, it was very toxic, and I do believe, if you're happier off the court, you're happier on the court,' added world number 106 Dart. She also entered the top 100 for the first time after her run to the Indian Wells fourth round as a qualifier. 'It's like any job - if you bring things from home into the workplace, it's very challenging,' she said.Дart, 25, has had a breakthrough year, including reaching her first WTA quarter-final at the Nottingham Open last week. Dart will now face former Wimbledon champion and second seed Simona Halep.

Harriet dart