Sonay Kartal: British player discusses first WTA title, Wimbledon and health scare

Few tennis players understand the fickle finger of fate more than Sonay Kartal.

The year began with the 22-year-old Briton fearing she would not play again this season because of a health scare that left her going “in and out of hospital”.

Eight months later, Kartal is now digesting the best season of her career.

A fortnight ago she won her maiden WTA Tour title in Monastir, cracking the world’s top 100 for the first time on the back of it.

“Whether I would be fit enough to be on a match court this season was a huge conversation. I had no idea. There was a lot of being in the dark,” Kartal told BBC Sport.

The year started positively.

Having not played since October because of injury, Kartal returned at an ITF event in Loughborough – the third tier of tournaments below the WTA Tour and Challenger Tour – and claimed her ninth career title.

Afterwards, she spoke about her hopes of “keeping as fit as possible” and having “a long season” on tour.

Fate took a cruel twist.

Within weeks, the uncertainty around Kartal’s health increased, leading to hospital treatment and several scans which prevented her from playing until April.

The new British number four did not wish to divulge the nature of the issue but was happy to discuss how coming through it has provided a new perspective and appreciation in her life.

“I had the worst start to a year which I could have imagined,” she said.

“You don’t really appreciate the feeling of being healthy until you’re in that position of being in control of it.

“100%, it changed my outlook.”

Kartal was given the all clear to restart her career in April and, in her second tournament back, added another ITF title to the collection in Nottingham.

The following week she won a tournament in the Spanish city of Monzon, stretching the hot streak to 10 match wins on the bounce.

Then came Wimbledon.

Kartal won three rounds of qualifying to earn a place in the main draw – the first time without a wildcard – and maintained momentum to reach the last 32.

There she faced US Open champion Coco Gauff and, while she lost 6-4 6-0, the experience was valuable and enabled her to flourish.