Australian Open: British women Harriet Dart and Billy Harris in the last round of qualifying, Heather Watson eliminated | Tennis news
British No. 4 Harriet Dart moved one game away from qualifying for the Australian Open after another qualifying win, but compatriot Heather Watson crashed out.
In men’s qualifying, British men’s No. 4 Billy Harris also eased into the qualifying final after losing just three games to Spain’s Carlos Taberner, 6-1, 6-2 in just over an hour.
Harris is looking to reach the main draw for the first time, after crashing out in the second round of qualifying last year.
On Thursday, he will face Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak in the last round.
Dart came from behind in a see-saw match against Australian teenager Taylah Preston to earn her place in the final round of qualifying.
She narrowly lost the first set tie-break after already struggling with an early break in the first set, but raced through the next two sets to win 6-7 (7-9), 6-1 6-2.
Dart will play against Japan’s Nao Hibino to reach the main draw for the fifth time in her career, with her best performance in the second round in 2020.
Watson started strongly in her match against American Varvara Lepchenko, winning the first set before Lepchenko fought back to end the Briton’s campaign.
The Briton broke early in the first set to maintain her advantage, but Lepchenko broke in the second set to level the match, before Watson broke three times in a row to close out the match 3-6 6-3 6-1.
