British singles challenge ends in US Open

British interest in the US Open singles events concluded in the second round as Harriet Dart and Francesca Jones lost their matches. According to the BBC, nine British players had entered the main draws, the highest number since 1981.

Dart fell to Czech 25th seed Marie Bouzkova 6-2, 6-2. Jones, the final Briton in either singles draw, was defeated 6-4, 6-4 by American 14th seed Iva Jovic. Five of the nine British competitors had advanced to the second round.

Second round exits for British contingent

All five British players who reached the second round lost to seeded opponents. Jacob Fearnley, a lucky loser, was the only one to win a set, falling in four to 27th seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry. Qualifier Toby Samuel was beaten by 18th seed Jiri Lehecka. Katie Boulter lost to Wimbledon runner-up Karolina Muchova in just 58 minutes on Wednesday.

In the men's first round, Cameron Norrie, Arthur Fery, Harry Wendelken and Jan Choinski were eliminated. The BBC reported that four of the nine British players had come through qualifying.

Jones pushes rising star Jovic

Francesca Jones, ranked 90 places below the 18-year-old Jovic, extended their match to one hour and 54 minutes. Humid conditions in New York saw both players frequently retreating between points to dry their hands and face.

Jovic started strongly, building a 3-0 lead with deep baseline hitting. Jones broke back and stayed competitive, even saving three match points on her own serve in the second set. Jovic ultimately sealed victory with a strong service game. She will next face her friend, Alexandra Eala from the Philippines.

"It's not like I was outclassed. You're talking about someone who has gone deep in the slams," Jones said of her opponent. "It was just half-chances. It's frustrating, but it's pretty clear my level is there."

Dart hampered by illness and heat

Harriet Dart, ranked 131st, struggled with her serve against Bouzkova, hitting eight double faults and landing only 45% of her first serves. She used ice towels and cold-air hoses during changeovers to cope with temperatures reaching 30C.

"I have been a bit under the weather. It is what it is, sadly," Dart told the BBC. "It was quite warm. I had a temperature; I was trying to cool down. I've played many weeks in a row."

She also cited difficulty adjusting to the temperature shift between the court and indoor areas. "I am not used to air conditioning being pumped everywhere. We go from really hot outside to freezing inside." Dart credited her opponent, saying Bouzkova was "an incredibly tough player" and that even at full capacity the match would have been difficult.

Bouzkova won seven consecutive games to take the first set and establish a double break in the second. She closed out the match to advance to a third-round meeting with Polish eighth seed Iga Swiatek.