Underdog Sonay Kartal has recorded one of the biggest victories of her career after defeating a player ranked more than 200 places higher than her to reach the third round. 

Kartal, who had to come through three rounds of qualifying to make the main draw, produced a shock 6-3, 5-7, 6-3, win over top 50 player Clara Burel. The 22-year-old is making only her third appearance in the main draw of a Grand Slam event and had never won a match until this week. Against Burel, she weathered the storm before going on to win five out of the last six games played. 

“Today is a really special day for me. To have people out there who have been with me since I was six. Monday was a high and now I have topped that today,” the Brit said afterwards.

“I just tried to put everything behind me. When I needed the crowd the most they helped me in that third set. I owe that to you guys today.”

It is only the second time in the Open era that a British woman has reached the third round of Wimbledon as a qualifier. The first to do so was Karen Cross in 1997. 

Kartel has shown glimpses of her talent already this season but on the lower-level ITF Tour where she has won a trio of W35 titles. However, she has also been affected by injury during her career, as well as a health scare earlier this season.

“I had a tough start to the year, I didn’t know what I would be doing this year,” Kartel reflected.  
“To come back in and go straight into the deep end, and have my biggest wins so far since recovering, I’m super proud of that.”

Her reward will be a showdown against second seed Coco Gauff in the next round, who won her latest match in straight sets. She has defeated only two top 50 players but both of those were in this tournament. However, facing the reigning US Open champion will be another level. 

“It’s going to be a tough match, it’s going to be a fun match and I hope I can do the British crowd proud.” She admits. 

Meanwhile, Gauff is not underestimating her upcoming opponent when they lock horns on Friday. 

“It will be tough to face a Brit, especially on grass. I think that they always do well, but especially in this environment.” She said. 

Alexander Zverev cruised past Roberto Carballes Baena 6-2 6-4 6-2 in 1 hour and 53 minutes under the closed roof of Court one to reach the second round for the seventh time in his eight appearances at Wimbledon. Zverev hit 46 winners, including 18 aces. 

Carballes Baena saved three break points in the first game of the match to hold serve. Zverev broke serve in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead, when Carballes Baena sent a backhand long. Zverev broke for the second time in the seventh game before closing out the first set in in little more than 30 minutes. 

Zverev broke serve in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead. Carballes Baena saved two set points, as he was serving to stay in the match. Zverev served out the second set on his first set point. 

Zverev broke in the first game of the third set. The German player saved three break points to hold serve in the second game. The 2021 Olympic champion broke for the second time in the seventh game and saved out the win on his first match point after saving a set point. 

Zverev has improved his record to 12-2 in Grand Slam matches this  season after reaching the semifinal at Roland Garros and the final at Roland Garros.

Zverev set up a second round match against either Marcos Giron and Henry Searle. 

“I have struggled over the years on these beautiful courts, but I feel different this year, somehow much more into it and more alive on these courts. Hopefully I can show that in the next few matches. For some reason, very early in my career I decided that I hate grass courts, then for some reason I decided that I love them”, said Zverev. 

Argentine Francisco Comesana upset Andrey Rublev 6-4 5-7 6-2 7-6 (7-5) in just his second grass court match.

Comesana broke serve in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead and served out the first set on his fourth set point. Rublev converted his third break point in the second game to open up a 3-0 lead. Comesana broke back in the fifth game and held serve in the sixth game to draw level to 3-3. The Argentine player saved three set points in the 10^th game. Rublev converted his third break point in the 12^th game to win the second set 7-5. 

Comesana broke twice in the third and fifth games to open up a 5-1 lead and served out the third set with a hold at 30. 

The fourth set went on serve en route to the tie-break. Comesana earned a mini-break to take a 3-2 lead. Rublev pulled back on serve to draw level to 5-5. Comesana served out the win with his second mini-break. 

Comesana set up a second round match against Australia’s Adam Walton, who beat Federico Coria 6-3 6-3 7-5. 

Former world No.1 Caroline Wozniacki has come out in favour of awarding ranking points at the Olympic games due to its status and other tournaments doing so in the same week. 

In recent years points have not been given at the four-year sporting extravaganza, whose tennis event is overseen by the International Tennis Federation. A separate governing body to the ATP and WTA. The last time points were awarded was at the 2012 Games in London when gold medal winners earned 750 points in the men’s draw and 685 in the women’s. 

Wozniacki, who is set to play in her fourth Olympic Games later this year, has called for the system to be brought back. She argues it is logical to do so due to the number of top names participating. 

“I do think the Olympics should have ranking points because it’s usually the best players in the world playing,” said Wozniacki.
“It’s such a huge event and something that means a lot too. It’s special to me personally as well.
“I think ranking points should be awarded to the Olympics. There are tournaments that are going parallel with the Olympics that have ranking points, so there’s no reason why the Olympics shouldn’t have it when they have the top players in the world playing.”

Coinciding with the Paris games this year will be the Citi Open in Washington, which is classed as a 500 event for both men and women. Besides points, prize money will also be on offer. 

Before the Olympics, Wozniacki’s current focus is on Wimbledon where she got off to a dream start on Tuesday. Playing her first Tour-level match at the Grand Slam since 2019, the Dane stormed to a comprehensive 6-2, 6-0, win over Alycia Parks. 

“I’m just happy to be through to the next round,” she commented. 
“When you play a girl like that, you just never know what to expect. That was just a match that I needed to get through. Keep my head down, keep my focus all the way through and that was that.”

Wozniacki will next face 30th seed Leylah Fernandez.