Sonay Kartal has delivered a sensational start to Wimbledon 2025, becoming the first British player to advance to the second round after pulling off a stunning upset against 20th seed and former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko. The 23-year-old British No. 3, who has been on an impressive upward trajectory in her career, secured a hard-fought 7-5, 2-6, 6-2 victory on Court No. 3 on Monday, June 30, in sweltering conditions that tested both players' endurance and focus.
The match carried an extra layer of intensity, as Ostapenko had defeated Kartal just six days earlier at the Eastbourne Open in straight sets. However, this time Kartal turned the tables, showcasing resilience and tactical prowess to overcome the Latvian, who was a Wimbledon semi-finalist in 2018 and the 2017 French Open champion, where she famously came from a set down to beat Simona Halep.
Kartal's victory marked a historic milestone: she became the first British woman in the Open Era to beat an ex-Grand Slam champion in the first round of Wimbledon women's singles. The win also represented Kartal's third career triumph over a top-20 opponent and her most significant at a Grand Slam event.
The match began with Ostapenko asserting dominance, breaking Kartal immediately and racing to a 3-0 lead in the first set. The Latvian’s powerful groundstrokes and aggressive play seemed to put her in control, and she extended her lead to 5-2, even earning three set points at 5-3. However, Kartal refused to back down. Demonstrating remarkable composure and determination, she won five consecutive games to snatch the first set 7-5. This comeback was punctuated by a crucial break of serve and a series of clutch winners, forcing Ostapenko into errors and visible frustration, including complaints directed at the crowd and umpire.
Despite the momentum shift, Ostapenko rallied in the second set, raising her level with 15 winners and only four unforced errors, compared to Kartal’s 29 winners and 15 unforced errors overall for the match. The Latvian broke early and maintained control to take the set 6-2, setting up a thrilling decider.
In the final set, Kartal’s superior fitness and consistency shone through. She quickly broke Ostapenko’s serve in the opening game, capitalizing on unforced errors and a double fault from the Latvian. Kartal surged to a commanding 4-0 lead with a double break, showcasing impressive court coverage and precision with her shots. Although Ostapenko managed to break back once, avoiding a 'bagel' set, Kartal remained unfazed and served out the match at the second attempt, sealing the victory with an ace and a confident hold to love.
After the match, Kartal reflected on the challenge she faced: "That was by far one of the toughest matches I've played. I would say that I struggle against the big hitters, so getting that win today after her beating me last week was great," she told BBC Sport. She also shared insight into her mindset this year: "I've made a conscious effort this year to play the bigger matches and put myself under the most pressure out on court. I knew that I wouldn't get the results straight away but that it would eventually pay off, and that's what happened today."
Kartal’s remarkable progress over the past year has been nothing short of inspiring. Just 12 months ago, she was ranked No. 298 in the world and made a breakthrough at Wimbledon as a qualifier by reaching the third round. Since then, she has steadily climbed the rankings, breaking into the top 50 for the first time earlier this month. Her current ranking of No. 51 reflects her consistent improvement and growing reputation on the WTA Tour.
Born in Sidcup, London, and based in Brighton and Hove, Kartal has Turkish heritage through her father and began playing tennis at age six after watching her older brother. She won her first professional title in November 2021 at the Antalya 15k event and has continued to build her career with notable performances and victories over higher-ranked players.
Kartal’s next challenge at Wimbledon will be against world No. 111 Viktoriya Tomova, who advanced to the second round after her opponent, two-time runner-up Ons Jabeur, retired early in their first-round match due to injury. This will be the first meeting between Kartal and Tomova, adding an element of intrigue to the upcoming encounter scheduled for Wednesday, July 2.
In addition to her singles campaign, Kartal is also set to compete in the women's doubles alongside fellow Briton Jodie Burrage. They will face the duo of Jessica Bouzas Maneiro and Yvonne Cavalle-Reimers, adding another dimension to Kartal’s Wimbledon journey.
Monday also saw further British success as Oliver Tarvet, ranked No. 733 and the lowest-ranked male player at Wimbledon, secured a straight-sets victory over Leandro Riedi (6-4, 6-4, 6-4). Tarvet will face the winner of the highly anticipated match between men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz and veteran Fabio Fognini, providing another exciting storyline for British tennis fans.
Moreover, the presence of 23 British players in the singles draws this year marks the highest number since 1984, signaling a burgeoning depth of talent and renewed hope for homegrown success at the All England Club. Among the women, Emma Raducanu, Katie Boulter, and Kartal were all ranked inside the top 50 last week, a feat not seen since 1986.
As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on Kartal to see if she can build on her breakthrough performance from last year and make an even deeper run in 2025. Her blend of grit, improved ranking, and growing experience against top-tier opponents positions her as one of the most exciting British prospects in recent memory.
With Wimbledon underway and the British contingent firing on all cylinders, Kartal’s victory sets a positive tone and raises expectations for what could be a memorable championship for the home players.
