Sonay Kartal scores major upset defeating Jelena Ostapenko at Wimbledon

In the United Kingdom, Sonay Kartal made headlines by defeating 20th seed Jelena Ostapenko during the first round of Wimbledon. The match showcased significant skill, with Kartal initially struggling, falling behind 3-0 in the first set. Despite facing three set points, she demonstrated resilience, ultimately winning the opening set 7-5. Ostapenko managed to level the match by taking the second set 6-2, but Kartal regained her momentum in the decider, racing to a 5-0 lead and securing her victory with a final score of 6-2. The win is particularly notable as Kartal, only 23 years old and ranked 51, previously lost to Ostapenko in Eastbourne the week before. Her upset over the 2017 French Open champion marks it as the best performance of her career at a Grand Slam tournament. Her victory sets up a second-round match against Bulgarian player Viktoriya Tomova, who advanced due to Ons Jabeur's retirement. This first-round upset was part of a strong showing by British players at Wimbledon, with Kartal and fellow wild card Arthur Fery both eliminating the respective 20th seeds in their categories. For Fery, the men's champion Alexei Popyrin also fell during round one, leaving many impressed with the performances of the younger British talents on the international stage. Kartal's triumph followed her previous success at Wimbledon, where she reached the third round as a qualifier last year. As the Wimbledon tournament progresses, Kartal's confidence appears to be surging, and she expressed optimism about continuing her strong performance. She remarked on the tough nature of the match, particularly against larger hitters like Ostapenko, but was pleased with her approach and execution. Fans are eager to see if she can continue her momentum into the subsequent rounds.