In a stunning upset at the 2026 Guangzhou Open, Harriet Dart, ranked No. 115, overcame the tournament’s No. 2 seed Janice Tjen in a hard-fought three-set battle on Mercredi. The British qualifier defeated the world No. 47 with a scoreline of 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in their first-ever WTA meeting, lasting two hours and 28 minutes.
Both players exchanged momentum early on, each claiming a set before Dart surged ahead in the decisive third. Breaking Tjen twice to establish a 3-0 lead, Dart then relied heavily on her serve, delivering seven aces and successfully defending six out of nine break points. Despite Tjen’s attempts to disrupt the baseline rhythm with net approaches, Dart maintained consistent groundstrokes during critical moments to secure the victory. This marked Dart’s third consecutive three-set win in the ongoing Asian swing.
Upcoming Quarterfinal Clash Against Paula Badosa
Earlier the same day, fifth seed Paula Badosa cruised past Austrian Sinja Kraus with a commanding 6-1, 6-4 victory. Badosa now awaits Dart in the quarterfinals, setting the stage for a compelling encounter between Dart’s aggressive baseline style and Badosa’s versatile all-court game.
For Dart, reaching the quarterfinals in Guangzhou matches her best performance in this tournament, signaling a promising continuation of her form on the WTA Tour.