Harriet Dart battled through illness and a second-set fightback from Anhelina Kalinina to set up an all-British quarter-final at the LTA’s Rothesay Open Nottingham.
Hampstead’s Dart, who is supported by the LTA’s Pro Scholarship Programme, had fought her way through two rounds of qualifying and her opening main draw match to set up this meeting against Ukraine’s Kalinina, who was a finalist at the prestigious Italian Open less than a month ago.
Despite being a slight underdog and struggling with illness, the Brit dominated the opening set, needing less than half an hour to take it, and then broke at the end of second set to seal a 6-0 7-5 triumph.
“I haven’t been feeling that well, but I’ve been battling through and I’m just really pleased to be in the quarter-final," she said.
"I always feel so at home here and I love the courts, love the place.
“I hope to play more sets like that [first set]. I knew it was going to be a really tough match and I had to come out firing, and I did that.
“After the first set I knew it was going to be a battle, she’s a fighter and she’s had amazing results, so I always knew it was going to be a really tough fight regardless of the scoreline.
“I’m just really pleased to be able to come through in two sets.”
Victory sets up an all-British quarter-final against Katie Boulter, who also beat Ukrainian opposition in the form of Daria Snigur to reach the last eight.
Dart and British No.1 Boulter know each other well off court but will put their close relationship to one side on Friday, with a WTA-level semi-final on home soil at stake when the two meet.
“At the end of the day, it’s just a tennis match,” added Dart.
“We’ve been on the Billie Jean King Cup team together, we’re good friends - let the better player win.”
*For the latest action on the British summer grass court season, check out the LTA website
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