Sonay Kartal Vows Top 10 Ascent After Breakthrough China Open Run Despite Quarterfinal Defeat
British tennis star Sonay Kartal reflects on her career-best China Open performance despite quarterfinal loss to Linda Noskova. The world No. 81 discusses her path to cracking the WTA top 10 after defeating world No. 5 Mirra Andreeva in Beijing.
Rising Star's Beijing Breakthrough
Sonay Kartal's historic China Open campaign ended in the quarterfinals with a 6-3, 6-4 defeat to Czech talent Linda Noskova, but the Brighton native leaves Beijing with renewed belief in her top-10 credentials.
Key Match Insights:
- Battled through three service breaks in opening set
- Showed resilience with early second-set break at 2-0
- Converted 68% of first-serve points against Noskova
Career-Defining Victory
Kartal stunned the tennis world by eliminating teenage sensation Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-2 in the fourth round - her first career win over a top-5 opponent.
"This tournament proved I belong at this level," Kartal told WTA Media. "When I execute my aggressive baseline game and stay mentally tough, I can trouble anyone."
Road to Elite Status
| Current Ranking | Career High | 2023 Win-Loss |
|---|---|---|
| 81 | 78 | 42-19 |
The 23-year-old aims to implement:
- Improved second-serve consistency
- Earlier preparation on returns
- Tournament-specific fitness regimens
Tournament Update
Noskova advances to face third-seeded Jessica Pegula, who survived a three-set thriller against Emma Navarro (7-6(2), 2-6, 1-6). The China Open semifinals feature three players under 21 for the first time since 2019.
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