Dart bounces out as Brit hopes end in Brum

That throws up a stellar set of matches for the Ann Jones Centre Court crowd to enjoy.

Eyeing a first-ever WTA semi-final, Harriet Dart came flying out the blocks breaking Anastasia Potapova in the first game of the match. The British No. 4 lost her serve, but immediately regained her advantage showing the steely grit that the Ann Jones Centre Court crowd adored her for.

Potapova rallied from another loss of serve, snatching two of the Brit’s services games away from her, levelling up proceedings in the final match of the day.

Both players found it difficult holding their serves as they traded breaks in the final set. The world No.21 just edged Dart, 113 ranking places below her, in the remaining games to reach a first WTA semi-final on grass, 4-6 6-3 6-4.

Jelena Ostapenko served up the comeback of the tournament, recovering from 4-6, 0-4 down to halt Magdalena Frech’s winning streak and cement her place in the semi-finals for the first time in Birmingham.

The qualifier was leading the No.2 seed convincingly until the Latvian received a medical timeout for treatment on an injured left calf. Assessed and strapped up, Ostapenko found new life and won seven of the last eight games to force a deciding set.

With momentum in her sails, the world No. 17 proved her class to deny Frech a first-ever WTA semi-final, 4-6 7-5 6-2.

Barbora Krejcikova overcame the youthful challenge of her Czech compatriot Linda Fruhvirtova to progress inside straight sets to reach her first WTA semi-final on grass, 6-3 6-2.

Zhu Lin kicked off Friday Pride Days play on Ann Jones Centre Court with a back-and-forth battle against Lucky Loser Rebecca Marino who’d clocked over 11 hours of play on the Edgbaston grass courts by the time her run came to an end.

China’s Zhu Lin rallied from a set behind to book a spot in her third WTA semi-final of the year, prior to this season she had only reached two in her career, 4-6 6-3 6-2.