Harriet Dart has become part of an exclusive club of British players who have won titles this century.
Dart has become the Guangzhou Open champion, with the 30-year-old Briton completing her dream week by coming from a set down to beat teenager Lilli Tagger 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the final to claim her first WTA Tour title.
It was a dramatic tournament for Dart, who was at risk of not even qualifying for the tournament after trailing by a set and a break in her first round qualifying match against world number 632 Shek Ying Cheuk.
Dart would then play exclusively three-set matches in the main draw of the Guangzhou Open, as she beat Tatiana Prozorova, Janice Tjen, Paula Badosa, Xinran Sun and then Tagger to become the sixth British player since 2000 to win a WTA Tour singles title.
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Harriet Dart becomes the sixth British WTA title winner since 2000
Dart is the sixth British woman who has won a WTA singles title, but it all started with Heather Watson in 2012. Watson won the Japan Open in 2012, when she was just 20 years old, becoming the first British woman to win a WTA Tour singles title since Sara Gomer in 1988.
Watson has since gone on to win four singles titles, three of which have been in Mexico, and is one of three British players to have won this many tournaments since 2000.
The other two British players to have won four WTA singles titles this century are Johanna Konta and Katie Boulter. Konta won four titles in her career, and is the only British player to have won a WTA 1000 title, which she achieved after winning the Miami Open in 2017. Konta also won her fourth title at one of the final tournaments of her career at the 2021 Nottingham Open.
The Nottingham Open is a tournament that Boulter is also very familiar with, having won the event only a short distance from where she grew up on two occasions. Boulter has also won a WTA 500 title in San Diego and this year claimed her fourth title at the Ostrava Open.
Emma Raducanu is also one of the six players on the list, and while she has only won one title in her career, it is undoubtedly the biggest any British woman has won this century. At just 18 years old, Raducanu became the first and still only qualifier to win a Grand Slam title at the 2021 US Open.
Raducanu is yet to add another title to her collection, despite reaching two WTA finals this year, but has already etched her name into history as a Grand Slam champion.
The last British player to win their first WTA title before Dart was Sonay Kartal, who lifted the trophy at the Jasmin Open in Monastir, Tunisia in 2024. Kartal has since come close to winning a second title at a much bigger WTA 1000 tournament in Wuhan, but lost out in a close-fought final against Maja Chwalinska.
Dart is now the sixth player to join this list, and regardless of what happens in her career now will always be part of British tennis history as a WTA title winner.
| British players who have won WTA titles since 2000 | Titles won |
| Heather Watson | 4 (Japan Open 2012, Hobart International 2015, Monterrey Open 2016 & Mexican Open 2020) |
| Johanna Konta | 4 (Stanford Classic 2016, Sydney International 2017, Miami Open 2017 & Nottingham Open 2021) |
| Emma Raducanu | 1 (US Open 2021) |
| Katie Boulter | 4 (Nottingham Open 2023 & 2024, San Diego Open 2024 & Ostrava Open 2026) |
| Sonay Kartal | 1 (Jasmin Open 2024) |
| Harriet Dart | 1 (Guangzhou Open 2026) |
Harriet Dart reacts after winning the Guangzhou Open
Dart was understandably very emotional after her breakthrough win at the Guangzhou Open, but she wanted to make sure to pay tribute to her opponent Tagger as well, who she predicted to have a ‘huge career’ ahead of her.
“I’ll try not to get too emotional,” began Dart in her post-match speech. “Firstly Lilli, you’re so young and you have a huge career ahead of you. “Congratulations for not only an amazing week but an amazing year, I have no doubt that you will win so many titles, so well done to you and your team for all your amazing work.”
Dart then reflected on her own achievement, as she thanked those who have supported her, including former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli, who she recently began working with.
“A big thank you to my team here this week, my boyfriend Stephen, my fitness coach Dario, but also the people at my home,” continued Dart. “My coach Marion [Bartoli], really appreciate all your hard work, but also my family, my parents and my sister Phoebe, so I love you guys and thank you for always being there supporting me every step of the way.”
Dart’s recent improvements had been showcased in recent months, and also reflected in her ranking as she was outside the top 200 this time last year. Dart has now improved this even further, as she is set to climb a huge 32 places up to world number 83.
This is significant for Dart as it means that she will be able to get direct entry into the Australian Open next year, which she has not been able to do at any Grand Slam since the 2024 US Open.
