Sonay Kartal’s remarkable journey in the China Open came to an end as she lost to Linda Noskova in the quarter-finals. The British player, currently ranked No. 81, made headlines earlier in the tournament by achieving her first top-10 win, defeating world No. 5 Mirra Andreeva. This impressive performance followed a strong start, where she easily advanced past Alycia Parks, delivered a bagel to 14th seed Daria Kasatkina, and overcame rising star Maya Joint.
Despite her momentum, Kartal faced a challenging match against Noskova, the 26th seed. The contest began with Noskova breaking in the first game. After a brief rally from Kartal, leveling the score at 3-3, Noskova regained control, clinching the first set 6-3. In the second set, Kartal fought back and broke early, showing determination. However, Noskova’s relentless pressure proved too much, allowing her to break back and ultimately win the match 6-3, 6-4.
This victory marks a significant milestone for Noskova, as she advances to her first WTA 1000 semi-final. After the match, she reflected on her performance, stating, “The match had lots of ups and downs, definitely because of all the break points. Breaking back in the second set was my main goal.”
As Noskova prepares for her next challenge, facing either Jessica Pegula or Emma Navarro, she remains optimistic about her tournament experience, saying, “I would say it’s a successful tournament already. I’m just enjoying my time on court and that’s the main thing right now.”
The outcome of this match highlights both the promising future of Kartal and the growing prowess of Noskova, suggesting an exciting landscape ahead for women’s tennis.