SONAY KARTAL SHOCKS SORANA CIRSTEA TO SECURE A HAT-TRICK OF WINS FOR BRITISH WOMEN ON OPENING DAY AT WIMBLEDON - AFTER EMMA RADUCANU AND LILY MIYAZAKI ALSO TRIUMPHED
- Sonay Kartal stunned Sorana Cirstea to come from a set down to win 3-6 6-2 6-0
- Lily Miyazaki dispatched Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch 6-2 6-1 in just 59 minutes
- Emma Raducanu also secured victory, although Heather Watson crashed out
Qualifier Sonay Kartal pulled off an incredible upset to knock out 29th seed Sorana Cirstea and secure a hat-trick of wins for British women on the opening day at Wimbledon.
Kartal was unsure she’d even play on tour this year due to a serious health issue but stunned Romanian Cirstea in the dimming light on Court 15 coming from a set down to win 3-6 6-2 6-0.
The 22-year-old from Brighton, an old junior rival of Emma Raducanu, had never gone past the first round in her two previous appearances at Wimbledon and went into the contest with a world ranking of 298.
She got here the hard way too. In a year when 12 of the 19 Brits in the Wimbledon singles this year got here on a wild card, Kartal had to battle through qualifying to earn her spot and now faces a second-round tie with Clara Burel.
'My greatest and definitely my proudest feeling. Getting a first win at any slam, and to have it at Wimbledon makes it extra special,' she said.
'To have the people around me that I've spent my whole life since I was six playing with, they were here to experience that with me, I think that made it extra special today.
'I had a scary few months at the start of the year. I said I won't disclose what it was, but it was health-related. I didn't think I would be back potentially at all this year.'
As her old rival Raducanu signed autographs on her way out of a packed Centre Court on Monday, another lesser-known Brit was also writing her own name into the Wimbledon second round in front of a far more modest crowd on Court 16.
Lily Miyazaki, the Japan-born maths genius daughter of a concert pianist, dispatched Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch 6-2 6-1 in just 59 minutes.
The 27-year-old did not face a single break point as she earned £93,000 for less than an hour’s work, doubling the prize money the world No 148 has won all year.
‘It’s one of the best wins of my career,’ said Miyazaki. ‘The financial side is massive for me too. It helps with the travel, my training. Hopefully, I can use it to keep building my ranking.’
Miyazaki was born in Toyko before she moved to London with her parents at the age of 10. She spent five years at university in Oklahoma where she earned a maths degree and also studied for a masters in IT management.
She only switched her allegiance to Britain two years ago as it meant sacrificing her Japanese citizenship because her home country does not allow dual nationality.
‘I feel like this is my home,’ added Miyazaki, who faces Eastbourne champion Daria
Kasatkina in the second round. ‘I think it was just the right decision. I'm happy that I made it.’
Victories for Raducanu, Miyazaki and Kartal brightened what had been a gloomy start for the Brit women after Heather Watson crashed out earlier in the day.
The 32-year-old, handed a wildcard for her 14th Wimbledon campaign, lasted one hour and 40 minutes in a 5-7, 4-6 defeat on a packed Court 18.
‘I really suffered on my serve,’ said Watson, who had the chance to serve for the opening set. ‘Usually it's something I can really rely on, especially on the grass. Even still I felt like I had my chances, especially in that first set. It just wasn’t meant to be.’
Read more 2024-07-01T22:39:05Z dg43tfdfdgfd