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Katie Boulter has endured a contested start to her Rothesay Open title defense in Nottingham after a marathon race against her British team-mate Harriet Dart.
The British No. 1 fought back from a set down to win 6-7, 6-4, 7-5 in a first-round match in which her opponent called out the tournament referee after a series of controversial calls.
An angry Dart was embroiled in a fight with umpire Kelly Rask over a series of calls that went against her, including one that was overturned and another that was replayed.
Boulter who entered the top 30 in the world for the first time since her first win at the WTA 500 in San Diego this year, kept her cool in trying circumstances to advance.
She and Dart had history in Nottingham, featuring in an equally lively quarter-final last year in which the beaten Londoner accused Boulter of being unprofessional with some of her on-court gestures on the web.
This time it was the referee who was on the receiving end. Seething throughout, Dart erupted towards the end of the second set after another hard call was against her.
The exchange with Rask began when Dart said, “The ball is so far, it’s embarrassing. You are ashamed.
Rusk replied, “Harriet, watch it.”
Dart: “You should be ashamed of yourself.” She then placed a ball on the ground six inches behind the line. “It was here, no joke, everyone here knows it.”
Rask: “Harriet stop now or you will get a code. I’ve had enough now. It is.”
Dart then called out the tournament referee, claiming: “Looking back on it, I can promise you I would have returned £50,000 that the ball was out. I would shake your hand now. It’s a joke how far that was.”
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Dart tested Rask’s patience further by sarcastically checking with her to see if a ball that landed a comfortable two yards up the baseline was out. The tenacious Dart, who played some great defensive tennis, threatened an upset after taking the first set tiebreak 7-5.
Boulter, however, had the composure not to panic. Although she didn’t play at her best – the windy conditions caused problems with her serve – she found her way to the finish line.
The key moment came with a break to 30 on Dart’s serve in the 11th game of the deciding set, which offered her a chance to serve. Dart saved two match points before Boulter finally did after three hours and 13 minutes.
Heather Watson also came back from a set down to secure a 4-6, 6-0, 6-4 victory against American Kayla Day.
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