Kartal left in a world of pain by New York heat as Boulter also exits US Open

‘Where wasn’t I feeling it?’ Sonay Kartal said of the cramps she endured in defeat by Beatriz Haddad Maia. ‘We had calves, we had quads, we had hamstrings.’ Photograph: Seth Wenig/AP

Sonay Kartal vowed to come back stronger after her 6-3, 1-6, 6-1 defeat by the 18th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia in the first round of the US Open after struggling with excruciating full-body cramps in warm conditions on Tuesday afternoon in New York.

For much of her main‑draw debut at the US Open, Kartal battled admirably, showing her problem‑solving abilities by recovering from a tough opening set to force a decider. But towards the end of the second set Kartal began to struggle physically and by early in the final set she was cramping all over her body.