Dart and Jones open US Open qualifying with wins
British players Harriet Dart and Fran Jones both won their opening US Open qualifying matches in New York, while Jodie Burrage and Henry Searle were eliminated.
British tennis players Harriet Dart and Fran Jones both made successful starts to their US Open qualifying campaigns in New York, each winning their first-round matches.
Dart, a two-time US Open second-round performer, defeated American Jordyn Hazelitt 6-0 6-7 (1-7) 6-1. She will next face another 16-year-old American, Kristina Penickova.
Jones, who first reached the main draw last year, beat Italy's Nuria Brancaccio 6-3 6-4 and will next play Germany's Mona Barthel.
Elsewhere, Jodie Burrage lost to Spain's Guiomar Maristany 7-6 (7-1) 6-4, and Henry Searle was beaten 6-1 6-2 by 16-year-old American Michael Antonius in the men's event.
Other results
Antonius will meet former US Open finalist Kei Nishikori in round two after the Japanese player beat Austria's Sebastian Ofner 6-1 2-6 6-2. Former semi-finalist Grigor Dimitrov eased past Italy's Lorenzo Giustino 6-0 6-3 and will next face Kazakhstan's Timofey Skatov.
In the women's draw, 2019 champion Bianca Andreescu beat Dutch player Eva Vedder 6-1 6-2. Heather Watson continues her qualifying run against Spain's Angela Fita Boluda on Wednesday.
Several other British men — Jacob Fearnley, Toby Samuel, Billy Harris, Harry Wendelken and Jack Pinnington Jones — also return for their second-round matches. Players need to win three qualifying rounds to reach the main draw, which begins on Sunday.
Separately, Britain's Arthur Fery beat Cruz Hewitt 6-1 7-5 at the Winston-Salem Open in a warm-up event, recovering from 1-4 down in the second set.
