Harriet Dart Wins First WTA Title at Guangzhou Open, Beating Lilli Tagger in Three Sets

British No. 5 Harriet Dart captured her maiden WTA title at the Guangzhou Open in China, coming from a set down to defeat 18-year-old Austrian Lilli Tagger 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. The 30-year-old from Hampstead, who entered the tournament as a qualifier, was competing in her first WTA final after saving three match points in her semi-final against Sun Xinran. Dart dropped her opening service game and trailed early, but she broke back for 4-4 in the first set before Tagger edged it. In the second set, Dart raised her level, and she carried that momentum into a tense decider to close out the victory. The win marks a breakthrough for Dart, who had previously reached two WTA 125 finals but never a tour-level final. Her triumph in Guangzhou adds a significant milestone to her career and boosts British tennis as she becomes the first British woman to win a WTA title since Emma Raducanu at the 2021 US Open. Dart’s resilience and determination under pressure were on full display, and she will look to build on this success in the coming season.