Thursday 16 January 2020 17:23, UK
Heather Watson produced her best victory for two-and-a-half years to reach the semi-finals of the Hobart International while Harriet Dart moved one victory away from qualifying for the Australian Open.
Watson, the British No 2, had not beaten a top-20 player since seeing off Anastasija Sevastova at Wimbledon in 2017 but recovered from a break down in the deciding set against 17th-ranked Elise Mertens in Tasmania to win 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 7-5.
Watson has a fine record in Hobart having won her second WTA title there in 2015, and this is just the way she would have hoped to start the season after a difficult 2019.
The 27-year-old, who had to come through qualifying, is projected to rise from her current ranking of 101 to around 75, and a fourth WTA title would push her back towards the top 60.
I've played Elise before this, and she's beaten me every time. I'm very happy with how I played today, it was a big test for me against a top player, one I'd never beaten before
Having already beaten the top seed, Watson will not fear anyone left in the tournament and she will face Elena Rybakina in the last four.
The other semi-final will be contested between Zhang Shuai and Veronika Kudermetova, who progressed through after the withdrawal of No 2 seed Garbine Muguruza with a viral illness.
Dart edged closer to qualifying for the Australian Open main draw for the second straight year after a comprehensive 6-2 6-3 win against American Nicole Gibbs.
Dart, who failed to win a game against Maria Sharapova in the first round last year, will take on 150th-ranked Italian Giulia Gatto-Monticone on Friday.
Samantha Murray lost her first-round qualifier, though, going down 2-6 6-4 6-2 to Yuan Yue of China to leave Dart as the last British representative.
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