'These are the kind of losses that sting a little bit': Boulter is aiming to atone for last year's SW19 exit

THEY contested one of the most dramatic clashes at Wimbledon last summer.

- Will Jennings, of Sportsbeat.

Now, one year on, Katie Boulter and Harriet Dart are preparing to return to the scene of their emotional battle of the Brits thriller on hallowed home SW19 turf, writes Will Jennings, of Sportsbeat.

Last year, the duo slugged it out in a heart-thumping second-round duel as Dart, ranked more than 70 places below then British No.1 Boulter, miraculously turned the tables to edge out her nemesis in a tense 10-8 tie-break.

Dart, 28, trailed 6-2 in that deciding format and after visibly breaking down in tears, launched an improbable late fightback to reel off eight of the next 10 points and somehow seal a 4-6 6-1 7-6 (8) victory.

"I wear my emotions on my sleeve,’ said Dart after the nerve-jangling encounter, which propelled her into the third round of a Grand Slam for just the second time in her career.

“You see everything how I'm thinking unfortunately - I was so happy to be able to get through.”

For Boulter, of Woodhouse Eaves, it was an inexplicable capitulation she hopes can intensify her hunger for success this year.

“These are the kind of losses that sting a little bit, they do,” she said.

“I’m going to come back stronger and hopefully be winning a lot more matches here.”

Emma Raducanu, who blazed a trail by memorably grabbing Grand Slam glory at the US Open four years ago, may be the most recognisable British name in this year’s women’s draw but it’s Boulter and Dart - separated in age by the space of just four days - who arrive as the two most experienced homegrown campaigners.

While Boulter is ranked marginally lower than she was heading into Wimbledon this time last year - the current world No.38 - she has enjoyed a breakthrough year on the circuit that culminated in a maiden clay court title in Paris last month.