Brighton and Hove tennis player Sonay Kartal won her second match at Wimbledon in three days to set up a plum tie with world number two Coco Gauff tomorrow (Friday 5 July).
The 22-year-old – ranked 295 in the world – beat Clara Burel, of France, ranked 45, in a three-set thriller yesterday afternoon (Wednesday 3 July). Kartal won 6-3 5-7 6-3.
She qualified for the Championships this year after overcoming an undisclosed health problem that kept her out of action for much of the past year.
And she started the tournament with a win over the Romanian 29th seed Sorana Cirstea on Monday, beating her 3-6 6-2 6-0.
Her victory yesterday puts her in the last 32 and up against one of the favourites for the tournament, the current US Open champion, a year after her first round defeat to 25th seed Madison Keys.
The head teacher of her old school, Longhill, in Brighton, said that Kartal – who still plays at the Pavilion and Avenue Tennis Club in Hove – was an inspiration.
Rachelle Otulakowski said: “We are all so proud to see Sonay get to the third round of Wimbledon.
“It’s really inspiring for all our current pupils and shows what can be achieved through hard work and determination. We’ll all be cheering her on.”
Kartal hopes to face Gauff on Centre Court. As a junior, she was Emma Raducanu’s main rival, and yesterday the former US Open champion followed Kartal into the third round.
At least one other British woman is guaranteed to join them. Nottingham Open champion Katie Boulter, seeded 32, is due to take on Harriet Dart later today while Lily Miyazaki hopes to overcome 14th seed Daria Kasatkina, from Russia.
