THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 2, 2024

Harriet Dart

Press Conference

H. DART/Bai Zhuoxuan

6-4, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Harriet, how are you feeling out on court today?

HARRIET DART: Yeah, really pleased with how I dealt with coming off the court with the rain delay. You know it was always going to be tricky when I first came back out.

Just very happy to close it in two sets.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Do you feel confidence boosted when you're actually playing points well?

HARRIET DART: For sure. I mean, the last few weeks I've had some really good matches, some that have gone my way, some that haven't. For me it's just being able to build on it, try and play some good tennis. Today I showed that. I was really clinical out there. I was pretty proud of that.

Q. Did your opponent have an injury?

HARRIET DART: I have no idea, yeah. You know as much as I do.

Q. How did you feel going off at 3-Love in the second set? Were you telling yourself, This isn't going to change the momentum?

HARRIET DART: Yeah, I mean, it's a lot of time to think. Especially not knowing how the rain was going to be.

But, yeah, just staying with my team, making sure that I eat enough, hydrate enough, change, not get too cold, re-warm up and start again, and not turn my phone on (smiling).

Q. There's a potential meeting with Katie in the second round. Would you relish a battle of Britain, at least one Brit in the third round?

HARRIET DART: Whoever I play, I know they haven't gone on court yet. We had a really tough battle the last few weeks in Nottingham. She's playing incredibly well.

Yeah, whoever it's going to be, you're playing second round of a Grand Slam, it's going to be incredibly tough. I look forward to the opportunity.

Q. What did you make of the disruption when the champagne cork landed? I bet you haven't had a disruption like that before, have you?

HARRIET DART: I didn't even realize. I thought it was a leaf or something. I had no clue what it was. I think I was just in my own little world, in my own bubble. Yeah, definitely a first.

Q. 'Bubble' is the word.

HARRIET DART: Yeah.

Q. How do you describe your relationship with Katie on and off the court?

HARRIET DART: Yeah, I mean, we're teammates. We played big tournaments. We've grown up together. We've been close.

Yeah, I mean, it's always going to be tricky, whoever I play, especially when you play a fellow Brit. But it's great to see that all of us are doing well and putting us in positions where we do get to play each other, hopefully more so in the latter rounds.

Yeah, I mean, I'm not seeded, so I always knew I'm going to play a seeded player at some point. Yeah, she's been having an amazing year. Yeah, she's been playing great. Expect a very tough match, whoever it will be.

Q. How well do you think the past few weeks, particularly the length of matches that you've played on grass, how well has that set you up going forward?

HARRIET DART: That's a good question.

I mean, I've had, like, two of the longest matches in my career have been on grass, which has been really bizarre just because of the surface really.

I mean, it's given me confidence, some of the results I have had. It's just all been about building each week. I knew that coming into here, no matter how well you've done, no matter how even badly you've done, this is a new week, a new opportunity. The courts are different, the surroundings are different, conditions are different. It's all about trying to adapt as quickly as possible.

Being British, as well, you have the added pressure I would say a little bit. But I always try and embrace it as much as I can. It's such a special and unique opportunity to play here at Wimbledon. It's what I dreamt of when I was a little girl, being here. Sometimes I have to keep pinching myself that I'm here.

Q. On the point of if you were to play Katie, you'll most likely be on a big show court. Can you talk a little bit about that experience, especially playing against a Brit, and someone you know so well.

HARRIET DART: I mean, whichever court we play on, whoever I play, it's another opportunity. I mean, I've played many times on big courts on big occasions here, whether that's been, I think the first time I played on a big show court was actually for mixed doubles. I felt like that gave me the experience of being able to play on the court before playing a singles match really helped me.

I also played a third round in 2019 on Centre. I'd say I've played on quite a lot of the big courts at big moments. I feel like I can try to use that as much as possible.

Yeah, I mean, it would be cool to play on a big court. A lot of people will play this tournament many times and not get the opportunity to play on the most historic court ever.

Q. This morning Andy pulled out of the singles. Could you share your experiences and how much he's inspired your career.

HARRIET DART: So much. I mean, growing up, what I thought of Wimbledon, I associated Andy Murray with. He's been such a champion on and off the court. Not only for tennis, but women's tennis especially.

He's always been so supportive. I think what's been amazing for me is, during the COVID break, we were very lucky to be able to practice at the National Tennis Centre, he was always putting so many hours in. For someone who's had such an amazing career, he just goes about his business so diligently. He's always the first person there and the last to leave.

But more importantly, I think he's a really, really kind and nice human being.

Q. You mentioned reaching the third round here five years ago, with more experience. Are you a better player now than you were in 2019?

HARRIET DART: Definitely. Yeah, someone reminded me of that the other day. I always think I was such a baby looking back at photos. But, yeah, I mean, I'm definitely a better player. I feel like I've improved so many things. I still feel like I have so much more to give and improve on.

Yeah, five years ago, that makes me feel a bit old. Yeah, I don't take any of these moments for granted because you never know how many years you're going to play or what's around the corner, right?

I just try to embrace it and try to enjoy every moment.

Q. You mentioned about Andy, his support for women's tennis. Could you expand on that a bit, what an advocate he is, and how much that impact might be missed.

HARRIET DART: Yeah, I mean, I feel like more and more people are much more supportive of women's sports in general.

For me, for someone who has been so dominant on the men's game, to speak out and be able to articulate himself in a way where he calls people out or he corrects people, I think it shows a lot of his character and who he is as a person.

I think, as well, for him, he's had such strong female role models as well. Yeah, I think that's been a big, big thing. To have such a champion champion women's tennis is amazing.

Q. As you said yourself, whether it's Katie or Tatjana, it's going to be a difficult match. Your game looks really good. You must feel you have a lot of confidence to emulate the third-round run?

HARRIET DART: I have nothing to lose, that's for sure. For me a big goal was just trying to get through round one. Last year was I would say heartbreaking for me, but also put me in a place where I had to dig deep towards the end of the year.

I always think things happen for a reason. They definitely did. This year, I'm very much focusing much more on the process, how if I can play some good tennis, you know, by putting good tennis out there, I can give myself the best opportunity to play well, to put myself in a position to win matches. That's kind of all I can do.

Q. Is timing everything for you in terms of how it culminates? Is it more about timing, do you think?

HARRIET DART: Some bits. I mean, has my grass season been good? I don't know. I'm my own worst critic. I had some all right results, I didn't have like amazing results, I would necessarily say. Then again, I'm not satisfied that much by that many things.

I mean, each week is to be built on, right, to put myself in opportunities where I can win matches, have opportunities to play better players, to see what I need to work on to improve on.

For me, it's just the steppingstones of that. Just been working really hard with my coach to put stuff in place. Today I felt like I played a really solid first-round match.

Q. You're playing Thursday. General election. Will you get a chance to vote?

HARRIET DART: I haven't given it much thought. Albeit, my sister works for an MP. I'm sure she'll be on at me to vote (smiling).

But yeah, we'll see.

Q. (No microphone.)

HARRIET DART: I'm not sure.

Q. You were talking a bit about your grass court season. You might not play Katie, but if you were to, have you reflected on the match you had against her in Nottingham? Do you look back on it? It was so tight.

HARRIET DART: Yeah, I mean, I go through all of my matches whether I win or lose, albeit I think you learn a lot more when you lose. Yeah, you have a lot more to talk about.

Yeah, there were a few points here or there. Also the first round of a tournament, it's very different. But yeah, I wanted very much to right some of the things I did I thought poorly in that match in the following weeks. I felt like I corrected those, which put me in a good place now.

Yeah, I mean, we always talk about wins and losses, regardless of whatever the result is.