WTA Tour
Harriet Dart won the first WTA singles title of her career on Sunday, coming from a set down to beat the No. 4 seed Lilli Tagger 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the Guangzhou Open final. The 30-year-old from London came through qualifying, won seven matches in all and is projected to return to the top 100 when the rankings are published on Monday.
From a Set Down, Again
Tagger broke early to lead 2-0 and took the first set 6-4. Dart broke in the eighth game of the second set to level the match, and the decider had five breaks of serve before she won the decisive one in the seventh game. She missed two match points on Tagger’s serve at 5-3, then served it out after two hours and 18 minutes. It was the third match in a row in which she had lost the first set: she also came from behind against Paula Badosa and against the 16-year-old wildcard Sun Xinran, saving two match points in that semi-final.
Her Route to the Title
| Round | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|
| First round | Tatiana Prozorova (Q) | 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 |
| Second round | Janice Tjen (2) | 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 |
| Quarter-finals | Paula Badosa (5) | 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 |
| Semi-finals | Sun Xinran (WC) | 5-7, 7-6(1), 6-0 |
| Final | Lilli Tagger (4) | 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 |
Before the main draw she won two qualifying matches, the first of them from a set and 4-2 down against Cheuk Ying Shek. Six of her seven wins went to three sets.
Revenge Over Tagger
Tagger, the Austrian teenager who won her first WTA title in Prague in July, had beaten Dart in the final of an ITF W100 event in Fujairah earlier this year. In Guangzhou she beat Venus Williams 6-2, 6-2 in the first round and Kaitlin Quevedo 6-2, 6-0 in the semi-finals. Dart’s win was her fifth over a top-100 player on tour this season, and three of them came this week.
What It Means for Dart
Dart reached a career-high of No. 70 in 2024 and started the week ranked No. 115. The title is worth 250 ranking points and $37,390. Until now she was best known for her Billie Jean King Cup record for Great Britain and for reaching the Wimbledon mixed doubles final with Joe Salisbury in 2021. Our story on her first WTA final covers the semi-final, and her next match page will follow her schedule.
FAQ
Harriet Dart Guangzhou Open FAQs
Is this Harriet Dart’s first WTA title?
Yes. Guangzhou was the first WTA singles final of her career, and she won it at the age of 30.
Who did Dart beat in the Guangzhou Open final?
The No. 4 seed Lilli Tagger of Austria, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, on 1 November.
How did Dart reach the final?
She came through two qualifying rounds, then beat Tatiana Prozorova, the No. 2 seed Janice Tjen, the No. 5 seed Paula Badosa and the wildcard Sun Xinran.
How much did Dart win in Guangzhou?
$37,390 and 250 ranking points.
Will Dart be back in the top 100?
She was No. 115 in the rankings of 26 October and is projected to return to the top 100 when the new rankings are published on 2 November.
More Coverage
See Harriet Dart‘s profile, the WTA rankings and the 2026 tennis calendar.