Coco Gauff’s Wimbledon opponent does not want to jeopardize her gym schedule at any cost! Sonay Kartal might be gearing up to face Coco Gauff for the first time at Wimbledon, but she wants to remain oblivious to the status that comes along with playing on one of the grandest platforms of tennis. Instead, the Brit wants to continue with her usual routines, keeping herself grounded and continuing her “fun” gym sessions. Revealing her reasons behind her strange choice when it comes to her workouts, the 22-year-old shared the “different environments” that attract her.

“I’m not the one to change anything,” Sonay Kartal, who qualified for the main draw of Wimbledon for the first time, says to Express. Instead, the world no. 298 is a believer in staying in her comfort zone, and keeping her daily routines as convenient as possible. It applies to her country’s cheapest high-street gyms as well, where she is a regular visitor.“I gym there for a reason,” the Brit points out.

Further explaining the reason, Kartal stated, “I quite like that environment. Obviously, you know, I have different facilities, up at National Tennis Center gyms and I also go to another gym as well. Sometimes I just like to, it’s nice to go somewhere where it’s just completely not tennis and just a completely different environment, a fun environment. So that’s my choice, that one.”

Sonay Kartal’s love for fitness started when her social media page brimmed with fitness and workout glimpses, while she scrolled the pages out of boredom during the COVID lockdown. Unable to avoid it, Kartal, inspired by it, decided to lift the weights that were already present at her home. 

Although she wanted to try some basic workouts at first, soon her interest grew, and she found her love for them. An enthusiastic Kartal, who saw it as a “chore” as a kid, was now lifting weights frequently posting on social media about it. But wait! Kartal, who doesn’t like to workout with her boyfriend, knows her limits to her routines too. “I don’t lift cars and pull cars and things like that. Tennis is very specific training whereas he is just lifting as much weight as possible as physically you can,” she said.

Nevertheless, Sonay Kartal “absolutely” loves it not only for her physical well-being but also for its impact on her mental health. “It’s so good for my mental health. I feel so good after going for a gym session,” Kartal once stated. Not only for the gym sessions, Sonay Kartal wants to feel the “same” as a person in general, even if she achieves the best scores in tennis!

Sonay Kartal wants to remain “focused” on her game at Wimbledon

Sonay Kartal, a nine-time ITF singles title winner, has produced her best results at Wimbledon this season! Starting the tournament as a qualifier, Kartal overpowered all her opponents and is set to be in a showdown against World No. 2 Coco Gauff next. Nevertheless, the former World No. 195 does not want to bask in the glory of her success and lose her authentic self.

“I still feel like the same me that I was this morning when I woke up. I kind of go under the radar a little bit. So I’m hoping it kind of stays that way but I’m aware that big wins, that’s what happens ultimately. I think I’m still pretty focused and I haven’t really let any outside things or noise or anything get to me yet,” she said after the match.

Kartal, who has already achieved her top 100 win at Wimbledon, now has a bigger battle to fight with the World No. 2 as her next opponent. Nevertheless, much like off-court nature, hopefully Sonay Kartal’s on-court winning streak at Wimbledon also remains unchanged!