Sonay Kartal Triumphs in Abu Dhabi After Belinda Bencic Withdrawal
Sonay Kartal of Great Britain has advanced to the quarter-finals of the Abu Dhabi Open. This progression comes after her original opponent, the defending champion Belinda Bencic, withdrew due to illness.
Details on the Match
Kartal faced lucky loser Renata Zarazua and won decisively with a score of 6-0, 6-3. The match lasted only 57 minutes, showcasing Kartal’s dominance on the court.
Background on Belinda Bencic
- Belinda Bencic, currently ranked world number nine, is a notable figure in women’s tennis.
- She became the first mother to win a WTA singles title since May 2023.
- Bencic won her title last year against Ashlyn Krueger just four months after returning from maternity leave.
Upcoming Challenges for Sonay Kartal
With this victory, Sonay Kartal, ranked world number 61, will face 20-year-old Sara Bejlek from the Czech Republic in the next round. Kartal achieved this by successfully navigating two qualifying matches prior to her win over Zarazua.
Other Tournament Highlights
Another British player, Katie Boulter, also reached the quarter-finals at the Ostrava Open. Boulter’s remarkable performance included a straight-sets win against the fifth seed, Viktorija Golubic, where she only dropped two games in each set.
This marks the first time Boulter has won back-to-back main-draw singles matches since the Nottingham Open in June of this year.
