In a clash between first-time WTA singles finalists, Sonay Kartal defeated Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova 6-3, 7-5 to capture the WTA 250 title in Monastir, Tunisia.
World No.96 and British No.4 Kartal needed just under two hours to prevail, holding off a late second-set charge by Sramkova.
“It’s unbelievable,” Kartal said, after her victory. “I’ve had such a good week this week, played some of my best tennis this week, had some of my best wins. I feel like each match I’ve kind of grown and got better.”
The 22-year-old from Brighton became the first qualifier to win a WTA singles title this season. Kartal is also the second player from Great Britain to win a title in 2024. Her fellow Brit Katie Boulter took home the singles trophies at both San Diego and Nottingham this year.
In July Kartal played at Wimbledon for the first time as a junior, her proud parents were naturally present in the stands to watch her.
In blog for WTA Kartal shared her father, a keen Roger Federer fan who still watches hours of the Swiss star’s highlights, got wind that his hero was on the practise courts — so that’s where he headed immediately, abandoning Kartal’s match.
“Of course I forgave him,” Kartal said with a laugh after defeating Clara Burel 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 in the Wimbledon second round. That result made the 22-year-old the first British qualifier to reach the third round at SW19 since Karen Cross in 1997, and set up a tilt against No.2 seed Coco Gauff.
Going on to explain her father owned two Turkish restaurants in the seaside town of Brighton, where Kartal was born and raised (she still has “lots of family” in Istanbul whom she visits whenever possible). One day, an LTA coach came in to eat, got talking to him, and invited Kartal’s brother to coaching sessions at the local club. Kartal followed — “I wanted to do everything my brother was doing” — and swiftly surpassed him, with coaches swiftly pinpointing her own talent.
