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Harriet Dart becomes the first British player knocked out of Wimbledon

The British number four won the first set on Court 12 but could not make it to round two.

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Harriet Dart became the first British casualty at Wimbledon after she lost in three sets to Frenchwoman Diane Parry.

The British number four had an impressive build-up to her home grand slam, reaching the quarter-finals in Nottingham and Birmingham, but fell 6-7 (4) 6-0 6-4 to Parry.

Dart, who reached the third round here in 2019, was up against it from the start in tricky conditions on Court 12, where the wind was causing issues, as she fell 3-0 down in the opening set.

But she found her feet and levelled at 5-5 after an impressive long rally ended in her firing a superb cross-court backhand winner.

That seemed to turn the tide as Dart went on take the set in a tie-break and the Briton would have been eyeing a straight-sets win.

But the wheels soon came off as Parry raised her level with some heavy forehand hitting and breezed to the second set in just 33 minutes without letting Dart win a game.

Harriet Dart reacts following her defeat to Diane Parry
Harriet Dart reacts following her defeat to Diane Parry (Adam Davy/PA)

However, the world number 96 struck again at 5-4 to clinch her place in the second round and send the first home hope packing.

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