Evans And Dart Add To Britain’s Aussie Open Contingent

Dan Evans and Harriet Dart have both successfully qualified for the Australian Open, taking the number of British participants to eight.

Andy Murray, Kyle Edmund and Cameron Norrie were already confirmed in the men’s singles and have now been joined by Evans, who will be competing in the main draw of a Grand Slam for the first time since returning from a drugs ban last year.

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The 28-year-old got the better of Italian veteran Paolo Lorenzi 6-3 6-3 in his final qualifier and will fancy his chances of advancing to the second round at Melbourne Park having been paired with another qualifier – Tatsuma Ito of Japan – in round one.

Should he get the better of Ito then it would likely set up a second round encounter with defending champion Roger Federer.

In the women’s singles, British No.4 Dart’s reward for reaching the main draw is a meeting with five-time Grand Slam winner Maria Sharapova.

Dart set up a clash with the Russian via a 1-6 6-3 6-1 win over Serbia’s Ivana Jorovic, booking her place at just her second Grand Slam having been handed a wildcard for Wimbledon last year.

She joins compatriots Johanna Konta, Heather Watson and Katie Boulter in the draw for the women’s singles.