Harriet Dart produced a battling comeback to keep her French Open dream alive on Monday, recovering from a set down to defeat China’s Yue Yuan 3-6 6-3 6-2 in the opening round of qualifying at Roland Garros. The 28-year-old from London needed two hours and 14 minutes on Court 10 to overturn the world No 96, advancing to a second qualifying round meeting with Croatia’s Jana Fett on Wednesday.
It was a contrasting day for British tennis. Dan Evans, the 33-year-old former British No 1, was beaten 6-4 7-5 by Serbia’s Hamad Medjedovic, the 22-year-old 2023 Next Gen ATP Finals champion who has slipped to 142nd in the world after a difficult start to the clay season. Evans, ranked 198, failed to convert four break points in the second set and exits Paris without a main draw appearance for the second consecutive year.
Dart digs deep on the red clay
Dart, ranked 116 in the world and the British No 3 behind Katie Boulter and Emma Raducanu, looked in serious trouble when Yuan broke twice to take the opening set. The Chinese player, a former top-50 talent who reached the third round at Wimbledon in 2023, was dictating from the baseline with her flat, penetrating groundstrokes.
The turning point came at 2-2 in the second set. Dart, who has been working with new coach Nigel Sears since February, abandoned her early aggression and began constructing points more patiently, drawing Yuan forward into uncomfortable mid-court exchanges. She broke for 3-2 with a backhand pass down the line and never looked back.
“Clay isn’t my favourite surface, everyone knows that,” Dart said in her on-court interview. “I had to remind myself I’ve got nothing to lose here. The first set she was hitting through me, but I felt my level pick up once I started moving her around. Nigel has been brilliant at getting me to trust the longer rallies.”
Dart hit 28 winners against 31 unforced errors, but the more telling statistic was her 67 per cent first-serve points won in the deciding set. She secured victory on her second match point when Yuan netted a forehand, raising both arms in subdued celebration before a sparsely populated outer court.
Evans’ Paris struggles continue
Evans’ defeat extends a wretched run on the European clay swing that has now stretched to seven losses in his last nine matches at qualifying or Challenger level. The Birmingham player, who reached a career-high of 21 in November 2023, has been candid about his struggles since dropping outside the top 100 last autumn.
Against Medjedovic, Evans was broken in the opening game and spent the entire first set chasing the match. He created chances in the second, breaking back for 4-4, but a loose service game at 5-5 — featuring two double faults and a tame forehand into the net — proved decisive. Medjedovic served out to love.
“I’m not playing well enough, simple as that,” Evans said afterwards. “The level’s there in patches but I’m not stringing it together. Clay magnifies everything when you’re short on confidence.”
His ranking will likely drop further next week, with limited points to defend until the grass swing begins at Surbiton on 1 June. Evans has confirmed he will accept a wildcard into the Lexus Surbiton Trophy as he attempts to rebuild form before Wimbledon.
What’s at stake in qualifying week
For Dart, two more wins would secure a third consecutive main draw appearance at Roland Garros — a meaningful marker for a player whose clay-court record reads just 4-11 at WTA level. The financial incentive is also significant: reaching the main draw guarantees €73,000 in prize money, more than double her career earnings on the surface.
Britain has three other players in qualifying this week:
- Francesca Jones, who plays Polina Kudermetova on Tuesday
- Jodie Burrage, returning from a wrist injury, faces Ekaterina Reyngold
- Billy Harris, the British No 4, takes on French wildcard Hugo Gaston in a tough Court 6 assignment
The wider picture for British tennis remains encouraging despite Evans’ setback. With Jack Draper seeded 13th, Cameron Norrie a direct main draw entrant, and Boulter and Raducanu already qualified for the women’s draw, the LTA could yet have six or seven players competing in the main event when play begins on 25 May — the strongest British contingent in Paris since 2018.
Dart returns to Court 12 on Wednesday afternoon, knowing victory over Fett would leave her one match from the main draw and a likely first-round meeting with a seeded opponent.
Sports journalist and editor at SportsPortal.net. Covers cricket, football, Formula 1, tennis, and basketball with a focus on how global sports connect with Pakistani audiences. Follows the PSL, Pakistan national cricket team, Premier League, and major international tournaments. Has reported on sports for digital audiences since 2021.
29 articles published
