THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 29, 2022

Harriet Dart

Press Conference

H. DART/R. Masarova

6-1, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Harriet, give us your thoughts on the match. Great win.

HARRIET DART: Thank you, yeah. Just really pleased to get through my first round. It's never easy first round of a slam. There's always nerves. Just really pleased to be able to get through.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What pleased you most about the way you played today?

HARRIET DART: Just to be able to close it out. I definitely felt a bit nervous prior to the match. Also to kind of close it out. I was just really pleased with how I handled it and to be able to get through.

Q. What would a deep run at Wimbledon do for you, your profile and career if you can win again and win again here at Wimbledon?

HARRIET DART: If I'm honest, it's not something I've thought about. For me, it's just about going out there, doing the best I can. If I can keep winning matches, that's great. Just being able to put a good level with each match is really important to me, just being able to consistently produce week to week a good level. I feel like the last few weeks I've really showed that.

It's just about doing more and more of that more often.

Q. You've had a succession of really good performances and results the last month. Could you highlight one thing, one improvement in your game, changing your life, that's led to that, what would it be?

HARRIET DART: I think this year has been a real steppingstone for me in terms of, one, results and, two, backing up those results. The last few weeks, it's been really good to see that I can play good level week in, week out, and push myself deep. I know physically I'm in really good nick. Just being able to use that to my advantage.

Last week I had to play three matches in one day, and I still felt pretty good. To be able to come here feeling pretty fresh and ready to go is definitely a bonus.

Q. You obviously had to wait a while to get out there. What has it been like trying to cope with that and also seeing the success from the other Brits?

HARRIET DART: Yeah, I mean, it's been great to see the last few weeks we've all been at the same tournaments and everyone has been doing so well. I feel like we all train together, we all get on really well. I think one person sees one person does well, then another believes that they can do well, too. I think that's really great to see.

It's not just on the women's side, it's on the men's, too. I feel like British tennis is in a good place.

Q. In terms of having to wait...

HARRIET DART: It was definitely challenging. Luckily I knew I was going to potentially play late yesterday. We came on-site a lot later so the day didn't seem that long. It was good that it was canceled relatively early, to be able to rest and recover as much as possible for today.

Q. About the Brits pushing each other on, I think it was Heather saying there's a WhatsApp group called Battle of the Brits. Do you think that time during COVID when you could only play against each other, has that, as a group, brought you closer together and led to some of the results?

HARRIET DART: Yeah, I think it was an amazing event we had the opportunity to still play during such a difficult period. A lot of us were already quite close. During that event I think some of us didn't know each other that well, and I think that was a really nice time to be able to know each other really well.

Yeah, it's just been really nice to see that everyone has kind of been pushing along. Everyone knows that everyone has a really good level. It's just about being able to put it in week in and week out.

Q. Is there any significance to the T-shirt?

HARRIET DART: The T-shirt? It's my sponsor, ASICS.

Q. Is it a woman's face?

HARRIET DART: Yes. But, yeah, it's Onitsuka Tiger, which is the athleisure wear for ASICS.

Q. Surely more sponsors would help you. If you do improve at Wimbledon, people will want to sponsor you.

HARRIET DART: Yeah, I guess that's the added bonus.

Q. There's quite a few British women players in their early 20s. You get the spotlight at Wimbledon. Do you have some slight sympathy with the incredible pressure and spotlight Emma has had on her in the buildup to this tournament? A different stratosphere, isn't it?

HARRIET DART: It's so challenging. She's so young. I really feel for her. Yeah, I mean, it's going to take her time to kind of adjust to everything. I think it's been totally different for her the last year. Her life has completely changed.

You have to give her some slack. She's still finding her groove. She's still young and there's a lot to learn. She's got a good team around her. I'm sure she'll find her way.

Q. Jessica Pegula up next. Have you played her before?

HARRIET DART: Never played her. I'm very excited for the match, to see where my level is at. She's one of the best players in the world at the moment. She's been doing really well.

Yeah, I expect a really tough match.

Q. You had a long time to wait. You said you were feeling a bit nervous. You then had a long time to wait when you got on court. What is that five-minute time like when you're just doing nothing?

HARRIET DART: Felt like an eternity.

Yeah, I mean, it was kind of weird. I'm in a different dressing room this year. I don't know. I think things got crossed over wrong on the timings. But that was fine.

Once I got out there, I felt pretty good. Yeah, just happy to get through.