Harriet Dart Stuns Paula Badosa to Reach Guangzhou Open Semi-Finals
Britain’s Harriet Dart reached the second WTA Tour semi-final of her career by fighting back from a set down to defeat fifth seed Paula Badosa 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 at the Guangzhou Open in China.
Match Dynamics at Nansha International Tennis Centre
The 30-year-old Dart completed the comeback against Spain’s Badosa in two hours and 15 minutes at the Nansha International Tennis Centre. Badosa entered the fixture ranked 54 places above Dart. Dart advanced through qualifying and previously defeated second-seed Janice Tjen in the tournament.
Badosa started strongly by breaking Dart’s opening service game in the first set. Dart recovered to level at 3-3, but Badosa secured another break for a 5-3 lead and held serve to capture the opening set. The players exchanged breaks early in the second set before Dart established control to level the match.
Medical Time Out for Paula BadosaWTA Guangzhou. Hard.6-3, 2-6 vs Harriet DartCurrent Odds: 1.25 – 3.75⚠️ Paula Badosa 2 MTO in 30 days.Last MTO: 26.10.2026Number of MTOs this season: 6
During the deciding set, Badosa required two medical timeouts while appearing to struggle with the heat. The Spanish player saved a match point at 5-3 and broke Dart’s serve, but she ran out of energy in the subsequent game, allowing Dart to break to love and seal the victory.
Dart Reaches Second Career WTA Tour Semi-Final
This tournament run marks Dart’s second career appearance in a WTA Tour semi-final. Her first came at the Transylvania Open in Cluj-Napoca, where she exited in straight sets against Karolina Pliskova.
Reflecting on her progress at the Guangzhou Open, Dart noted the demanding nature of the tour. “It’s been a very long time since I’ve been in the business end of the tournament so I am really excited for that,” Dart stated. “Tennis is so stressful, so to have the opportunity to compete again on Saturday is a great opportunity for me.”
Dart added context regarding the physical challenge of the encounter. “It was an incredible battle. I thought Paula started really strongly. I was always behind, and knew it was going to be an incredibly tough match. I really needed to hang in there during the tough moments and wait for a chance. Luckily I was able to take my chance, and I am very excited to be in the semi-finals.”
Upcoming Semi-Final Fixture
Dart advances to face either American Claire Liu or 16-year-old Chinese wildcard Sun Xinran in the last four on Saturday. Badosa leaves the tournament ranked 61st in the world following the defeat.
Disclaimer: The insights provided in this article are for informational and entertainment purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or sports betting recommendations.