Harriet Dart is ready to return to the world’s high 100 after she defeated Elisabetta Cocciaretto to succeed in the Transylvania Open quarter-finals.
The British quantity three fought again from a set right down to clinch a 5-7 7-5 6-3 victory over the fifth seed in Cluj.
Dart, who got here by qualifying for the WTA Tour occasion, entered the week in 103rd spot however will transfer up after a slide down the rankings final 12 months.
The 27-year-old faces unseeded Spaniard Nuria Parrizas Diaz within the final eight.
Dart’s victory over Cocciaretto in Romania was the fifth time she had made the final eight of a WTA Tour occasion.
Nevertheless, it was first time she had executed so away from British grass, along with her final such run coming in Birmingham final summer time.
Dart had regarded in bother in opposition to the 23-year-old Italian when she was unable to take three set factors at 5-4 within the opener, after which misplaced six video games in a row.
However she managed to claw her method again into the second set earlier than she took her possibilities within the decider regardless of an harm timeout to deal with a neck drawback.
“I had some set factors within the first set, wasn’t in a position to convert, however I believed she performed good on the large factors,” Dart stated after her win over the world quantity 56.
“It is such small margins in tennis. There’s all the time an opportunity and also you simply need to preserve preventing. I received a small little bit of an opportunity and I used to be in a position to take it.
“I am simply making an attempt to construct on every match. It has been nice to get a lot of matches by the qualifying right here, get used to the [hardcourt] floor.”
Fellow Briton Heather Watson’s run on the Abu Dhabi Open got here to an finish within the final 16 in opposition to Spanish fortunate loser Cristina Bucsa.
Watson, who sealed a powerful win over world quantity 16 Veronika Kudermetova within the earlier spherical, was overwhelmed 7-6 (7-1) 7-5.
