Who Is Sonay Kartal: Sonay Kartal, who after a stunning upset of former French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko at Wimbledon 2025, has emerged as a breakout name in tennis. Kartal’s route to Centre Court glory is a stirring story of grit, finesse, and whispering tenacity. Here’s everything you need to know about this rising British star.
Who Is Sonay Kartal?
London-born and Brighton-raised, Kartal was born on October 28th, 2001. She’s got Turkish blood from her dad, who ran a Turkish restaurant in the UK. Her tennis career began at age six, but hardly a smooth one. Financial difficulties meant that she didn’t have a full time coach for the majority of her youth. Teenage injuries halted her progression. Kartal persevered with the game. Her breakthrough came on entering the LTA’s Pro Scholarship Programme, which provided her the crucial support to train and compete at a new level.
Kartal entered the pro circuit in 2019, leaving her mark on the ITF Women’s Circuit with 14 titles. She rode on, persistently. Her hard work paid off when she secured her first WTA title in 2023 at the Jasmin Open in Tunisia. It was a big breakthrough, as she beat Rebecca Šramková in straight sets. By mid-2025, she had broken the Top 50 WTA, rocketing to a career-best No. 49 in the world.
Wimbledon 2025: The breakout
Kartal’s Wimbledon 2025 run is unbelievable. Arriving at the tournament riding a wave of confidence and momentum from a stellar season, she faced former Slam winner Jelena Ostapenko in the first round. Kartal fought valiantly and showed incredible court coverage and mental strength to come out on top 7-5, 2-6, 6-2. This victory was significant not only as a breakthrough for Kartal personally, but historically, as she became the first British woman in the Open Era to defeat a former Grand Slam champion in Wimbledon’s opening round.
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Playing Style and Strengths
Sonay Kartal’s play is steady, smart and cool-headed. She’s not the most flashy player but she’s absolutely murderous, mixing baseline attacking with crafty angle shots and punishing forehands. Against Ostapenko, she had nerves of steel, saving multiple set points and hammered home a breathtaking running forehand that was one of Wimbledon’s highlight shots this year.
Who is Sonay Kartal: Personal life
Away from the hardwood Kartal represents a grounded spirit and significant tattoos. There’s a story or sentiment behind every tattoo, such as the bee she shares with her brother. She’s established a loyal following and inspires innumerable young girls back home in the UK, especially those from other cultures. Her romance with bodybuilder Luke Ogbourn may have made some headlines for a hot minute, but she’s recently refocused on tennis and self-improvement.
What’s next for Kartal?
Having defeated Viktoriya Tomova in round two, Kartal has now made the third round of Wimbledon for the second consecutive year, a clear indication that her form is no accident. She is scheduled to play Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova next and with momentum on her side, she might just have enough to drive further into the tournament. With each victory, Kartal is establishing himself as not just a giant-slayer, but a legitimate world-class contender.
Sonay Kartal’s Wimbledon triumph against Jelena Ostapenko isn’t merely a shock upset, it’s the emergence of a new British tennis star, featuring a motivational backstory and a dazzling destiny. Her journey from jet-lagged grudge matches to Centre Court glory is a tale of grit, genius and fueled understatement. With youth on her side and confidence in her play, Kartal is no longer a prospect. She’s women’s tennis power.
