Who would have thought of betting on a WTA star ranked beyond the top 200 to make it to the third round at Wimbledon? Turning the unexpected into expected, Britain’s Sonay Kartal walked in as a strong force. The 22-year-old made her way through the qualifiers and has now booked a slot against the bearer of American hopes, Coco Gauff. But what is the story behind this highflier?

Currently a resident of Brighton, Sonay Kartal was born in Sidcup, London, on October 28, 2001. The WTA star has Turkish heritage through her father and started playing tennis at the age of six because of the positive influence of her older brother. Besides her family, she trains at the Pavilion & Avenue Tennis Club in Brighton with her coaches and building blocks Julie Hobbs and Ben Reeves.

Right from her initial days, Kartal gained an admiration for tennis pros like Roger Federer and Kim Clijsters. This fanship not only made her enjoy the game but also learn from it and implement the strategies in her own playing style. The glorious tournament (Wimbledon) she is currently exploring has always been her favorite.

While a majority of people might know her by her registered name, loved ones like to call her “Karts”. She finds solace in small things like music, animals, and shoes, to maintain a balance between her personal and professional life.

Looking at her professional portfolio, the Briton has a heavy record of winning nine singles titles on the ITF circuit. She attained a career-high ranking of 195 in singles and No. 559 in doubles. She started her massive trail of victories by winning the first title in November 2021 at the Antalya $15k event and followed it up with a hardcourt win in Monastir in 2022.

Her Wimbledon campaign in 2024 is the best run of her grand slam career so far. She defeated the 29th seed Sorana Cirstea and Clara Burel and extended her name to the history books by becoming just the second British woman to reach the third round as a qualifier in Open Era. This feat was last achieved by Karen Cross in 1997.

Sonay Kartal’s journey so was is nothing less than remarkable. While not just her but the Kartal family has a thing for tennis, there was a hilarious moment when her father did something unexpected for his love for Roger Federer.

Sonay Kartal’s father has a deep admiration for the Swiss tennis maestro

There are several moments where Sonay Kartal revealed her fanship for Roger Federer. Although her father might not be good at swinging a racquet, he sure is a bigger admirer of the Swiss tennis maestro. Back when Sonay Kartal played as a junior at Wimbledon, her parents were there to root for their offspring and provide her with the confidence she required.

While the Briton’s mom was determined to clap and cheer, her father noticed Roger Federer in the arena and therefore couldn’t help to chase him for a better look. He then followed him to the practice courts and therefore spent a good time watching the legend. Although Sonay Kartal was angry at him, she later forgave him for this mischievous act. “Of course I forgave him,” she said, after securing a win over Clara Burel at Wimbledon.

Now that she is set to be in a battle against the US Open champion, there’s no chance his father could slip off, as all the eyes would be on her.