Barty puts Dart to flight

LONDON: World number one Ashleigh Barty reached the last 16 at Wimbledon for the first time on Saturday as she overwhelmed British wild card Harriet Dart 6-1, 6-1.

The 23-year-old Australian, bidding to become the first Wimbledon women's champion from her country since Evonne Goolagong Cawley won her second title in 1980, will play unseeded American Alison Riske for a place in the last eight.

Barty did not allow Dart a look-in from the outset and the 182-ranked Briton only managed to get on the board in the first set at 5-0 down.

It was pretty much a similar story in the second, Barty cruising to a 4-1 lead only for Dart to finally find her feet and carve out four break points.

Barty, though, held her nerve and saved all of them to win the game before breaking Dart in the following game to take the match after just 53 minutes on Centre Court.