Sonay Kartal made headlines at Wimbledon by defeating 20th seed Jelena Ostapenko, becoming the first from a 14-strong British contingent to progress. In a challenging match, Kartal won 7-5, 2-6, 6-2 to reach the second round. This marks an impressive ascent for the 23-year-old, who arrived ranked 281 last year but returned ranked 230 places higher. Her performance highlighted her resilience, having to overcome a strong start from Ostapenko, and she expressed her commitment to facing tough opponents, believing this focus will pay off in the long run.
"That was by far one of the toughest matches I've played. I struggle against the big hitters. I've made a conscious effort this year to play the bigger matches and put myself under pressure on court."
"I knew that I wouldn't get the results straightaway but that it would eventually pay off, and that's what happened today."
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