Sonay Kartal Upsets Mirra Andreeva at China Open

Beijing, China – Sonay Kartal stunned fourth-seeded Mirra Andreeva on Wednesday at the China Open, marking her first Top 10 victory and advancing her to the quarterfinals of a WTA 1000 tournament. The match concluded with a score of 7-5, 2-6, 7-5 after two hours and 25 minutes of intense play on Lotus Court.

The 23-year-old Briton had previously reached the last 16 at Indian Wells and Wimbledon this year, but this victory represents her first quarterfinal appearance since winning her debut title in Monastir last September. Kartal, currently ranked No. 81 in the world, seemed reinvigorated after struggling on North American hard courts in August, previously ending her losing streak during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals two weeks ago.

“I just tried to put that second set behind me,” Kartal said, reflecting on her performance against Andreeva. “She played some great tennis. I just tried to level it out in the third set and keep the scoreboard pressure as far as I could.” Her next opponent will be No. 26 seed Linda Noskova, who defeated Anastasia Potapova 6-2, 6-4 earlier on the same day.

Kartal’s match against Andreeva was marked by moments of dramatic tension. She saved two break points in the first set, ultimately taking it after Andreeva faltered with a series of errors. The second set saw Andreeva regroup and dominate with sharp volleys, only to face a determined Kartal in the deciding set.

In the tense third set, both players held serve until 5-5. Kartal’s mental strength was evident as she executed crucial shots under pressure. “I’ve been working on being more aggressive in the bigger moments,” Kartal noted. After saving a break point, she converted on her second match point when Andreeva hit a forehand wide, sealing her remarkable upset.

With this victory, Kartal becomes the first British player to reach the Beijing quarterfinals since Johanna Konta in 2016. The triumph not only boosts her ranking but affirms her ability to compete with the world’s best.

“It’s my first time in China,” Kartal expressed. “So I’ve got incredible memories already. The atmosphere today was unbelievable.”