Sonay Kartal achieved the biggest victory of her career at the China Open, upsetting World No. 5 Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 2-6, 7-5 to earn her first-ever Top-10 win. The 23-year-old Brit battled for two and a half hours before sealing her place in her maiden WTA 1000 quarter-final.
Kartal’s Breakthrough Moment
Kartal’s rise over the past year has been steady. Since lifting her first WTA title at the Jasmin Open in September 2024, she has delivered standout results, including a Wimbledon fourth-round appearance and strong performances for Great Britain in the Billie Jean King Cup. But until Beijing, a win over a Top-10 opponent had eluded her. Against teenager Mirra Andreeva, she finally broke that barrier.
How the Match Unfolded
The opening set was fiercely contested, with both players holding serve deep into the frame. Under pressure at 5-6, Andreeva faltered, and Kartal pounced, breaking at her first opportunity to clinch the set 7-5.
Andreeva stormed back in the second, dictating play with her serve. The Russian teen won 74% of points behind her delivery and didn’t face a single break point, running away with a 6-2 set to force a decider.
The third mirrored the opener — long rallies, tight service holds, and little separating the two. Kartal saved crucial break points to keep herself alive and then struck at the perfect moment. At 6-5, she broke Andreeva to close the match 7-5, 2-6, 7-5, sealing the most important win of her career.
By the Numbers
- Aces: Andreeva 3 – Kartal 2
- Double Faults: Andreeva 6 – Kartal 1
- First-Serve Points Won: Andreeva 77% – Kartal 69%
- Second-Serve Points Won: Andreeva 52% – Kartal 56%
- Match Time: 2h 27m
Andreeva vs Kartal – Full Match Stats
| Statistic | Andreeva | Kartal |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 1.14 | 0.88 |
| Serve Rating | 280 | 282 |
| Aces | 3 | 2 |
| Double Faults | 6 | 1 |
| 1st Serve % | 66% (60/91) | 68% (71/105) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 77% (46/60) | 69% (49/71) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 52% (16/31) | 56% (20/36) |
| Break Points Saved | 60% (3/5) | 67% (4/6) |
| Service Games | 88% (14/16) | 88% (14/16) |
| Ace % | 3.3% | 1.9% |
| Double Fault % | 6.6% | 1% |
| Return Rating | 121 | 124 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 31% (22/71) | 23% (14/60) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 44% (16/36) | 48% (15/31) |
| Break Points Won | 33% (2/6) | 40% (2/5) |
| Pressure Points | 45% (5/11) | 55% (6/11) |
| Service Points | 68% (62/91) | 64% (67/105) |
| Return Points | 36% (38/105) | 32% (29/91) |
| Total Points | 51% (100/196) | 49% (96/196) |
| Match Points Saved | 1 | 0 |
| Max Points In A Row | 8 | 8 |
| Service Games Won | 88% (14/16) | 88% (14/16) |
| Return Games Won | 13% (2/16) | 13% (2/16) |
| Total Games Won | 50% (16/32) | 50% (16/32) |
| Max Games In A Row | 3 | 2 |
Ranking Milestone
The victory lifts Kartal more than 20 places in the rankings, propelling her to World No. 60 and making her the new British No. 2 behind Emma Raducanu (No. 30).
Quarter-Final Ahead
In the last eight, Kartal will face 20-year-old Linda Noskova, who advanced by defeating Anastasia Potapova 6-2, 6-4. Neither Kartal nor Noskova has reached a WTA 1000 semi-final before, setting the stage for a high-stakes quarterfinal between two rising stars in Beijing.