Sonay Kartal is taking Indian Wells by storm. The British No. 3 got into the draw as a lucky loser after crashing out in the final round of qualifying, and she now finds herself in the last 16. It’s been a career-changing run for Kartal, who is set to reach a career-high ranking and has already banked £80k ($103k) for her efforts.
The 23-year-old is now preparing for her toughest test yet as she will take on world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka. Before the big match, Kartal opened up on the impact of the huge prize money cheque and explained how she would be spending it.
Kartal had never competed in the main draw of a WTA 1000 event before this fortnight. But after getting a second chance as a lucky loser, she has torn through the draw and is yet to drop a set.
The world No.83 earned the biggest win of her career in round two, taking out 16th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia, and she followed it up by beating Polina Kudermetova 7-5 6-3 to book her spot in the round of 16.
Kartal has now guaranteed herself at least 120 extra ranking points and £80k in prize money. And she is planning to reinvest the money straight back into her tennis.
“Wins like today definitely do kind of take that financial pressure off, it means I can go to tournaments with a bigger team that are going to aid my performance,” Kartal told Sky Sports on Monday.
“Injuries are something I’ve struggled with.”
Kartal could take her prize total up to £146k if she wins her next match and advances to the quarter-final. But it will be a big ask as the Brit takes on three-time Major winner Sabalenka.
The 23-year-old already has experience facing the best players. She lost to Coco Gauff in the third round of Wimbledon last summer, and she’s relishing the test.
Kartal continued: “It’s a match that I’m going to be excited for. When I played Coco at Wimbledon last year, that match for me, I learned so much from.
“I think when you play players like that, it makes you almost try and overplay a little bit. I left that match and reflection on that was just that my base level is there, I’m definitely going to use what I learned and get back to the court.”
Kartal also has an unusual advantage in the Californian desert, where players often struggle with the windy conditions. The world No.83 grew up in Brighton, training at the Pavilion & Avenue Tennis Club, and spent years training through the wind near the seaside.
“This week, these courts play differently, they’re super spinny, it’s windy, they’re slower than normal courts which works in my favour, growing up in Brighton, having one of the windiest you can have by the sea,” the British No. 3 said.
“I think I’m most proud of how I’ve really kind of played the court. I’ve tried to put a bit of extra spin, take the ball off because I know it’s going to sit up with these conditions.”
Kartal has also made an impression on her next opponent. Sabalenka has limited knowledge of the Brit but she liked what she saw. “I saw some of the games, and she was playing quite decent tennis,” the world No. 1 said of Kartal.
Content Source: www.express.co.uk