Sonay Kartal entered Wimbledon with confidence, determined to bounce back after early exits at Queen’s Club, Nottingham, and Eastbourne. She has struggled at this prestigious Grand Slam before, with her best result being the third round last year. This time, she left no room for error. Her opening match was against the 2017 French Open and 2024 U.S. Open doubles champion.

On Monday, Kartal faced Jelena Ostapenko, aiming to take revenge after last week’s loss at Eastbourne. And boy, did she deliver! Sonay turned Ostapenko’s frustration into fuel, rattling off five straight games to take the first set. Ostapenko had just returned from a short break after withdrawing from Eastbourne’s Round of 16 due to an ankle injury. She fought back to claim the second set, but Kartal proved stronger in the decider.

Kartal broke early in the final set and quickly raced to a 5-0 lead. Ostapenko’s body language showed she was ready to quit. Though Ostapenko won two late games, the Briton sealed the win on her second match point. Live Tennis on X captured the moment perfectly: “British number 3️⃣ Sonay Kartal delights her home crowd by taking out former French Open champ Jelena Ostapenko 7-5, 2-6, 6-2! 👀”

This win is historic for British tennis. Sonay became the first British player in the Open Era to beat a former Grand Slam champion in Wimbledon’s Women’s Singles First Round. For Ostapenko, who reached the semifinals in 2018 and quarterfinals in 2017 and 2024, it’s a tough blow. But she has shown resilience before. Only time will tell how she bounces back.

Meanwhile, things are looking up for Sonay Kartal! Will she keep this momentum going into the second round? Only time will tell! But she’s certainly glad with her performance this time.

During her on-court interview, she said, “That was by far one of the toughest matches I’ve played.” It was certainly no easy task for her, having just been beaten by Jelena last week. But now, their H2H stands at 1-1. “I would say that I struggle against the big hitters. I’ve made a conscious effort this year to play the bigger matches and put myself under the most pressure out on court,” she added. It seems like her goals for 2025 are finally aligning!

Sonay Kartal reveals her plans for the season

Speaking to Standard Sport on June 28, Kartal shared her evolving goals. “Originally, [my aim] for 2025 was to break into the top 50,” she said. She reached a career high of No. 49 ranking this month! But she’s setting her sights higher: “I will push to be top 30 by December. That would be great.” What makes her rise even more impressive is that she started 2024 “in and out of hospital” with an undisclosed illness. Kartal, who is of Turkish descent through her father, is now fit, healthy, and thriving. Her tennis journey began when an LTA coach spotted her at her dad’s restaurant in Brighton and invited her to a training session as a child.

The 23-year-old  started her pro journey on the ITF circuit in 2019. Sonay Kartal snagged her first ITF titles in 2021 at W15 Antalya and W15 Monastir. By 2022, she was stepping onto the WTA stage, playing her first main draw matches on grass at Nottingham and Wimbledon.

Last year, she qualified for Nottingham’s main draw again, but 2024 has been her breakthrough year. She won her first title at Monastir and made it to the third round at Wimbledon as a qualifier. Her ranking soared into the Top 100 for the first time, peaking at No. 85 by year-end.

“Earlier this year, I didn’t expect I would be where I am,” Kartal admits. “I’m surprised with how fast it’s all happened.” She’s especially excited about the grass-court season. “It’s a surface I think is good for me that forces me to do the things in my game that I’m trying to do more.” Her passion and determination shine through every match.

Now, Sonay Kartal is heading into Wimbledon’s second round to face No. 111 Viktoriya Tomova, who advanced after two-time runner-up Ons Jabeur retired. When asked if she’s here to stay at this level, Kartal volleyed back with confidence. Will she make a deep run this year? Share your thoughts in the comments below!