British star cries at Wimbledon after banking £143k and missing world's richest player

Harriet Dart is through to the third round at Wimbledon

Harriet Dart's weeping time-out proved a turning point - and left Battle of Britain rival Katie Boulter nursing the bitter “sting” of tears. In a marathon 2hr 56min needle match on gusty Court No.1, Boulter’s hopes were gone with the wind among her 75 unforced errors. And although Dart’s 62mph doodlebug second serve - which floats over the net with the venom of powdering your nose in the spa - was there for the taking, she hung on for her first win against Boulter in six years. At 6-2 down in the decisive match tie-break, Dart - ranked No.100 in the world - sank to her haunches at the back of the court and appeared to be in tears at the prospect of defeat.

But she fought back to seal a 4-6 6-1 7-6 upset and book a third round date with China’s Wang Xinyu, who beat No.5 seed Jessica Pegula. Since Pegula’s father is billionaire owner of NFL franchise Buffalo Bills, her £93,000 payday as a second round loser is barely loose change in the family finances. But for Dart, 27, a minimum £143,000 prize money should wipe away any amount of tears. She said: "I knew it was always going to be a really tough battle - we played a few weeks ago (in Nottingham) and it didn't go my way.

Harriet Dart cried during a break in play

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“I wear my emotions on my sleeve, so you see everything I'm thinking, unfortunately, but I'm so happy to be able to get through. "My head-to-head record is absolutely woeful against Katie, so I wasn't expecting too much, but even though I was down in that tie-break I just thought, ‘Give it everything, no regrets and I'm really pleased to battle through.” Dart’s win means it is the first time since 1984 that three or more British women have reached the third round at Wimbledon - 40 years ago, Virginia Wade, Jo Durie, Anne Hobbs, Julie Salmon and Annabel Croft led the charge.

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British No.1 Boulter claimed she did not notice Dart’s tearful intermission in the tie-break and insisted: “I just had a tough day at the office and I've got to take it on the chin. “These are the kind of losses that sting a little bit. They do. There's no other way to put it. I'm going to use it. I'm going to come back stronger and hopefully be winning a lot more matches here next year. “I think she kind of just relaxed a little bit when she was 6-2 down in the tie-break. She's got nothing to lose at that point and, looking back, I probably played into her strengths at that point as well.

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