British player Sonay Kartal marked her China Open debut with a landmark victory, upsetting No. 4 seed Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 2-6, 7-5 to reach the quarterfinals in Beijing. The 23-year-old, ranked No. 81, earned her first career win over a Top 10 opponent and her first WTA 1000 quarterfinal after a 2-hour, 25-minute battle on Lotus Court.
Kartal, who made the last 16 at both Indian Wells and Wimbledon earlier this season, advanced to her first tour-level quarterfinal since winning her maiden title in Monastir last September. After going winless on the North American hard-court swing in August, she regained momentum during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals two weeks ago and has built on it in Beijing with victories over No. 14 seed Daria Kasatkina and Maya Joint. She is the first British quarterfinalist at the tournament since Johanna Konta in 2016.
Match Highlights and Tactical Insights
The match swung repeatedly. Kartal saved two break points early in the opening set and seized her chance at 6-5 with a precise passing shot that set up the decisive break. Andreeva responded with a clinical second set, shortening rallies and taking the ball early to level the contest. The decider stayed on serve until 5-5, when Kartal struck backhand winners to fend off danger and hold for 6-5, then converted her second match point as Andreeva sent a forehand wide.
Kartal later said she leaned on her calm presence, varied her patterns to stay unpredictable, and committed to playing more aggressively at key moments after studying Andreeva’s tendencies. This tactical approach proved vital in overcoming a formidable opponent.
Andreeva, 18, is now 16-3 this season against opponents ranked outside the Top 50, with all three defeats since June: at Roland Garros to Lois Boisson, at the US Open to Taylor Townsend, and now in Beijing to Kartal.
Next up for Kartal is No. 26 seed Linda Noskova, who defeated Anastasia Potapova 6-2, 6-4 in 1 hour and 27 minutes. Noskova won their only previous meeting in Rome in May. Both players are aiming for a first semifinal at WTA 1000 level or higher; Noskova was previously a quarterfinalist at the 2024 Australian Open and in Dubai. With Kartal’s momentum and newfound confidence, fans eagerly await what could be another thrilling match.