Tennis is still too elitist, British star Harriet Dart says as Wimbledon kicks off

Briton Harriet Dart said she believes tennis remains “an elitist sport” and more must be done to open it up to everyone.

The 27-year-old grew up in Hampstead, and began playing tennis aged seven at Cumberland Lawn Tennis Club, where her parents first met one another while playing.

She has long been a champion of improving access to women’s tennis, and told the Standard said she would like to see “more combined events” to help make the sport more of a level playing field.

“I think it’s better for the public,” she said. “The spectators enjoy watching both women and men. You see this at Grand Slams, and the big Masters tournaments.”

But she added: “If we’re able to change anything, especially at these female-only events, in my opinion I think tournament organisers should have to do better in approaching schools and other people to be able to give them opportunities to come and watch for free.

“Because tennis unfortunately, as much as everyone wants to say it’s not an elitist sport, it is.

“At the end of the day, it’s a very expensive sport and it’s very difficult to get into.”

British number two Dart now counts herself a south-west Londoner, and will have the luxury of staying at the home she shares with her sister and boyfriend Stephen Falck, a Norwegian model and software engineer, during the Championships this fortnight.

She suffered a first-round defeat at the French Open in May, but a promising start to the grass court season saw her reach the quarter-finals at Eastbourne for a second time earlier this month.

Ahead of her first round game with Chinese qualifier Bai Zhuoxuan, she told the Standard she tries to approach Wimbledon “as any other tournament”.

“Obviously I want to do as well as I can. I’ve played some good matches on grass so far, so it’s just kind of building on that,” she said.

“I try not to put too much pressure on the tournaments beforehand, but just to try and play some good matches.

“I approach Wimbledon as any other tournament, and I think that’s really important.”