Harriet Dart Ousts Peyton Stearns 3-6 6-3 6-2 to Reach US Open Round 2

Harriet Dart overcame a foot injury and a one-set deficit to defeat Peyton Stearns in two hours and 24 minutes at the US Open.

Harriet Dart secured her place in the US Open second round by defeating American Peyton Stearns with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 comeback victory. The 30-year-old British player required two hours and 24 minutes to complete the grueling tussle, which ended when Stearns hit a forehand into the net on the fourth match point. This result ended a 19-month wait for a Grand Slam main draw win for Dart, who had previously squandered three match points during a tense final game.

Following the conclusion of the second set, Dart sought medical treatment for a foot problem before closing out the deciding frame. Her path to the main draw involved a qualifying campaign where she also recovered from a set down to beat fellow Briton Heather Watson. After the win, Dart celebrated with 2013 Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli, who has served as her ad-hoc coach since January. Bartoli, who resides near Dart, has assisted the British player during Florida training blocks, three weeks of the grass-court season, and primary Grand Slam events.

Coaching Dynamics and British Success

Dart described Bartoli as a great coach and a funny person, noting that their coordination depends on their respective busy schedules. The British No. 1, Katie Boulter, also advanced following a Sunday victory over American wild card Carol Young Suh Lee. Boulter is now scheduled to face seventh seed Karolina Muchova in the next round. Muchova, a former Wimbledon runner-up, earned her spot by defeating Sinja Kraus with a dominant 6-3, 6-0 scoreline.

Jacob Fearnley Wins Five-Set Marathon

In the men’s singles draw, British No. 4 Jacob Fearnley outlasted Spain’s Martin Landaluce in a match lasting four hours and 10 minutes. Fearnley, competing as a lucky loser, recorded a 4-6, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 scoreline to secure the longest victory of his professional career. Despite leading 5-1 in the final set, the match nearly slipped away after a significant error on match point.

Fearnley missed a routine overhead putaway completely, recording an air shot that allowed Landaluce to win the point and eventually close the gap to 5-3. The British player reported feeling shell-shocked as a ball kid smirked at the miss, yet he managed to hold his nerve to serve out the match in the ninth game of the fifth set.

Statistical Breakdown of NY Results

Dart’s victory was defined by her resilience after dropping the opening set 3-6, while Fearnley’s marathon win required him to overcome two separate one-set deficits. Fearnley’s match featured 45 total games played across five sets. The British contingent continues into the second round with Dart, Boulter, and Fearnley all progressing through the early stages of the tournament in New York. Muchova's 6-0 second-set sweep against Kraus stands as the most one-sided set recorded among these featured matchups.