AUSTRALIAN OPEN ONE DART FINISH

Harriet is only success in dire day for Brits

HARRIET DART saved Britain’s best till last at the Australian Open – and was rewarded with a glamour tie against Wimbledon champion Simona Halep.

Jo Konta led the early retreat from Melbourne when the No.12 seed suffered the biggest upset of the tournament so far against world No.78 Ons Jabeur.

And she was followed home by Kyle Edmund (right), Katie Boulter and Cam Norrie.

But British No.3 Dart avoided a total British wipeout on day two despite losing eight consecutive games – and blowing her first two match points – before bravely beating Misaki Doi 2-6 6-4 7-6.

The Londoner finished strongly by winning nine of the final 10 points in the third-set tie-break against the world No.82.

And the 23-year-old took her third match point at 10.59pm local time – over 12 hours after Konta had taken to the court in the morning.

“It’s up there with the best performances of my career – I was just relieved to get the win in the end,” said Dart. “I am proud of the way I was able kept my composure.

“It was a crazy finish, especially playing a 10point tie-breaker. It’s the first time I have done that, I had to double check with the chair umpire.”

The world No.164 suffered a humiliating double bagel against Maria Sharapova in the first round here last year.

“It is good to get that one out of the way and win my first Grand Slam match outside

Wimbledon,” Dart added. “Halep is an incredible champion and it is a great opportunity to see where my game is. In the last year I have really learned from playing big matches on big courts.”

Konta confessed she was too rusty for a Grand Slam after losing for the first time in the opening round of the Australian Open.

The British No.1 had only played and lost one match since the US Open because of tendonitis in her knee and she went down 6-4 6-2 in only 63 minutes.

“Definitely the lack of matches was a factor,” said the 2016 semi-finalist here.

“It’s always difficult to come back after not playing a certain amount of time. But what was good today was my knee felt good. We won’t make a decision today on when I play next.” Edmund led 5-2 overnight against No.24 seed Dusan Lajovic, but lost 7-6 6-3 7-6.

He has now gone out in the first round here twice since reaching the 2018 semi-finals.

“I have definitely been unlucky physically,” said the former world No.14. “Ultimately it’s a win-loss business, you have to keep winning.”

Boulter put up a fight against No.5 Elina Svitolina, but lost the big points as she went down 6-4 7-5 in her first Major for a year.

The Leicester City fan, who has been out with a back injury, said: “I feel I’d have a really good chance against her later in the season,” she said.

British No.3 Norrie took only five of 16 break points against Frenchman Pierre-hugues Herbert before going down 7-5 3-6 3-6 7-5 6-4. “It was tough – I was in complete control,” he said.