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When Harriet Dart packed her things and went over to Wimbledon this year, she didn't have to go far being that she resides in London. She had received her wild card and was off to the exciting Wimbledon Championships where she had great times and memorable experiences.
She would do the round of singles and mixed doubles as she had before to see what would develop. It was her first singles match that she'd play America's Christina McHale. It was a good day but a slow start and too many blunders caused her to lose the first set 4-6.
Dart's focus and determination improved. She played loose and won the 2nd set 6-4. She felt confident and tightened her game to win 6-4 in the opening round. Harriet Dart's hopes were high and then something happened. "I think some things you can't control.
Just got to focus on the task in hand..." Dart had said concerning her impromptu slip from playing mixed doubles with compatriot Jay Clarke. What a difference a year makes when she paired with him at last year's Wimbledon, making it through to the semifinals but falling to the team of Jamie Murray and Victoria Azarenka.
Dart got the mow down from Clarke on the fact that young American Cori Gauff, a friend of his asked him to be her mixed doubles partner. Despite the fact that Dart and Clarke already signed up. He was left in an awkward position of turning down an upcoming phenom or staying with partner Harriet Dart ranked no.
182 in the world. Clarke had simply left her a text message saying of the switch, leaving her disgusted and without a mixed doubles partner. "Essentially due to the timing I wasn't able to find another partner...I did ask a number of people, but a lot of them were set up..." Clarke gave his rendition saying "I've known Cori for a few years now, we got in contact, she asked me to play..." Clarke admits that it wasn't a good choice he had to come to but says "...hopefully she understands why I did it...I'm sorry for her it happened..." Dart knows that life goes on and it did for her as she played her second round with Brazil's Beatriz Haddad Maia.
The Brazilian may have beaten the 26th ranked Garbine Muguruza, but Dart made good of her frustration and won her tiebreaking first set 7-6. She started making a lot of mistakes and strategy errors losing the second set 3-6.
It was a win or nothing as Dart knew she had to get her act together. She poured out winners and loving herself for playing an aggressive game and winning round two. It was obvious Dart's game was spirited up and she prances to the third round playing the no.
1 in the world, Australia's Ashleigh Barty. The chance to even play Barty is exciting and who knows what the result might bring. As for Jay Clarke, he's played Roger Federer and has bowed in three sets, maybe karma was involved for the dust-up, but Dart has other desserts to partake in.
She is looking to her improved singles game and says "...I think just got to look forward. I'm just concentrating on my singles..." Upsets have been happening and Harriet Dart is taking her performances with a grain of salt, enjoying the moment and the fantastic atmosphere there at Wimbledon.