Sonay Kartal’s incredible run at Wimbledon has seen the 22-year-old Brit reach the third round, where she will now face No2 seed Coco Gauff.
The world No298 won 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 against France’s Clara Burel, ranked 45th, in a commanding but gruelling performance on Court 3.
Kartal had won the first professional match of her entire career on opening day, beating Romanian 29th seed Sorana Cirstea 3-6, 6-2, 6-0.
Having never made it past the first qualifying round of any of the three foreign Grand Slams, Kartal lost in round one of Wimbledon as a wildcard in both 2022 and 2023, but is now into the third round in her first appearance in the main draw.
Kartal becomes only the second British woman to reach the third round of Wimbledon as a qualifier in the Open era, and the first since Karen Cross in 1997.
She will now face Coco Gauff, who got the better of another Romanian, Anca Todoni, 6-2, 6-1 on Court 1 on Wednesday afternoon.
Kartal, who was born in London, will likely play on a show court when she faces current US Open champion Gauff in the third round.
Having taken the first set 6-3, Kartal was soon 3-0 up in the second but eventually lost it, 5-7, to Burel. She regrouped, however, and took the deciding set 6-3 in front of an enthusiastic crowd on Court 3.
“Today is a really special day for me,” she said on court, after victory. “To have people out there who have been with me since I was six. Monday was a high and now I have topped that today.
“It’s going to be a tough match [against Gauff]. It’s going to be a fun match and I hope I can do the British crowd proud.”
