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Sonay Kartal weathered a second-set wobble to storm into the Wimbledon third round for the first time and set up a plum tie with Coco Gauff after she beat Clara Burel 6-3 5-7 6-3.
Kartal had to qualify for this year’s Championships after she had battled with undisclosed health problems for much of the past year, but she put those issues to one side to produce an excellent career-best victory against 29th seed Sorana Cirstea on Monday.
It set up a showdown with world number 45 Burel and Kartal recovered from losing a 3-0 lead in set two to edge the decider and become the first home player through to the last-32 at the All England Club.
The British number nine was back on Court Three a year after her straight-sets defeat to Madison Keys, when she only won three games.
Rain initially halted her shot at redemption with a two-hour delay followed by another intermittent shower after seven minutes of action.
Kartal had to save break points in each of her first two service games once play resumed and they proved crucial as the 22-year-old seized upon a string of double-faults by Burel to break and move 4-2 up.
Burel arrived in London after four consecutive first-round exits and struggled to outlast Kartal in several lengthy rallies before the world number 298 clinched the opener with a trademark forehand winner.
Kartal, who was Emma Raducanu’s big rival as a junior, claimed another break at the start of the next set before a second followed with Burel seeming out-of-sorts.
The biggest threat to the Briton appeared the weather with more drizzle in the air, but as the sun pierced through the clouds, Burel started to swing freely and land her shots.
A break back was secured before a sumptuous volley from the French player got the score back to 4-4 and while Kartal showed heart to save four set points, a decider was required.
The third set stayed on serve until a decisive fifth game, which went the way of the Brighton right-hander after another booming forehand clipped the net cord and landed on Burel’s side.
Kartal would not be denied this time and pencilled in a clash with US Open champion Gauff with a deft volley at the net to earn a standing ovation as the first female British qualifier to make round three since 1997.
“Today is a really special day for me,” Kartal said. “Monday was a high but I’ve topped that today.”
