Tennis ace Kartal adds aggression to game - and sees results

Sonay Kartal says her new-found aggression and a familiarity with opponents brought about her upturn in form at the UK Pro Classic.
Sonay Kartal in action in Weybridge / Picture: Ian HallSonay Kartal in action in Weybridge / Picture: Ian Hall
Sonay Kartal in action in Weybridge / Picture: Ian Hall

The Brighton player endured a difficult start to the week but bounced back to beat Emily Arbuthnott and Freya Christie in Weybridge, finishing fourth in her pool before losing to Emily Appleton on Saturday.

Kartal took the first set 6-1 against Appleton but was pegged back by the same scoreline, with Appleton clinching the super tie-break 10-6.

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The 18-year-old lost her opening three matches but says a subtle change in approach held the key to her improvement.

Sonay Kartal / Picture: Ian HallSonay Kartal / Picture: Ian Hall
Sonay Kartal / Picture: Ian Hall

“The game style I was playing changed in the middle of the week while the people I was playing, I’d played in Week Four so I knew how to play them and I knew what I had to do,” she said.

“My execution was really good, so I think I just needed to start off the week like I’m finishing it, by playing a lot more aggressively.

"But I’ve had a lot of tie-breaks and they don’t seem to be going my way at the minute - they’re a bit pot luck!

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“I think I was flattening up my forehand in the centre of the court which is something for me that I’m working on, and something I need to do.

“I don’t really have height on my side so an aggressive game style is a must for me.

“I’ve played those opponents on Week Four so I knew exactly what I had to do, and I think my execution on those days was really good.”

Kartal is one of 24 leading players duelling it out in the widely-billed Premier League of tennis, playing alongside a glittering array of talent including Naomi Broady and Eden Silva in the women’s draw and James Ward and Broady in the men’s.

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The innovative format was devised by Andy Murray’s coach, Jamie Delgado, with players on Classic Week being split into two boxes of six ahead of finals weekend on August 15th and 16th.

Burgess Hill’s Julian Cash was also in action on Saturday as he continued his impressive run with a clutch super tie-break triumph over Alastair Gray.

Cash, like Kartal, started his week slowly but has now won three deciding tie-breaks on the spin, triumphing 10-6 against Gray to start his weekend strongly in Weybridge.

* 12 of the UK’s top women and men have qualified through the UK Pro Series for the UK Pro Classic - www.ukproseries.com. The competition will be available for free on LIVENow, Eurosport Player and will have national free to air coverage via FreeSports