Harriet Dart's 2024 US Open campaign ended in the second round after she was beaten in straight sets by world No. 19 Marta Kostyuk on Wednesday.
On a sweltering afternoon in Flushing Meadows where the mercury touched 34 degrees Celsius (93.2 Fahrenheit), Dart quickly put herself into a commanding position, only for the Brit to fail to see out the first set on serve as she was taken to a tiebreak by her Ukrainian opponent.
Dart's composure frayed during a marathon 22-point tiebreak in which she shouted at her own coaches and threw her racket on to the court in frustration. Kostyuk let out a roar of elation after taking the first set with a typically powerful forehand winner.
Kostyuk looked in total control for the remainder of the contest, while Dart seemed to wilt in the oppressive heat as she quickly succumbed to a 7-6 (10), 6-1 defeat on court No. 5.
Despite her disappointing afternoon in New York, Dart will move inside the top 70 in the world rankings -- a career high for the 28-year-old -- following a promising season.
