Moments before the end of this wild encounter between Britain’s two highest-ranked women, Harriet Dart covered her eyes and started to wipe away tears. At 6-2 down in the final set tie-break, she was done. We knew it. She knew it. And what made it really sting? It was her rival Katie Boulter, with whom she has a relationship that makes the Arctic in winter look warm, on the other side of the net.
At this stage Dart’s nerves were so apparent they could have been displayed next to her sponsor Asics’ logo. But this three-hour epic – part tennis match, part psychodrama – had one final twist.
