Kartal fights through heat to make Wimbledon Qualifying second round

By Abi Curran

Sonay Kartal thrived in the sweltering to battle to a first-round Wimbledon Qualifying win in Roehampton.

The 22-year-old from Brighton clinched a straight sets victory over Suzan Lamens after battling to win the first via a tie-break tussle, 7-6(6) 6-4.

Kartal reached the quarter-finals of the LTA's Lexus Ilkley Trophy last week and is taking to the grass courts again following a lengthy spell off-court.

She recovered from heart complications in January following an illness in December and insists she has been putting everything into her preparations going into the grass-court season.

She said: “It was tough with it being really hot and today, playing midday I’m glad I didn’t let it go to a third set.

“I was happy with my performance, I came from Ilkley last week and I felt like I was playing well and could continue today.

“It got hard towards the end and I just knew that I had to knuckle down and keep my concentration and try my best not to let her get back in the match.

“Everyone in this draw is tough and everyone wants a spot, I’ve just got to take each match as it comes and I’ll do the same in my next match and try and continue the level.

“This whole grass season, as each week has gone on, I’ve got more confident on the grass and I feel like my game style is really changing and starting to really suit the surface.

“I’m very happy with my performance.”

Kartal is on the LTA’s Pro Scholarship Programme presented by Lexus, the highest level of support for developing players aged 16-24, designed to help them crack the Top 100.

While she insists her traditional style is more suited to clay, the grass is benefitting her game as she looks to continue her run against China’s Sijia Wei in the second round.

She said: “For me, my game style is not a typical grass game style so I have to really concentrate and try and make myself play differently.

“I’d say I have a clay court game but the grass forces me to do the things that I’m trying to work on.

“The support today was amazing and the motivation is there for the end, it’s a prestigious event and one we all look forward to in the year and I’m really happy to be here.”

For the latest action on the British summer grass court season, check out the LTA website