Kartal beats Kalinina in Wuhan to set up Bencic clash
Sonay Kartal beat Anhelina Kalinina 7-5 6-3 to reach the second round of the Wuhan Open on 12 October.
The British No. 5, ranked world No. 170, knocked out Ukraine's world No. 48 in one hour and 31 minutes in their opening-round tie in Wuhan, according to BBC Sport. Job done.
Kartal made her serve count. She fired four aces and won 23 of her 30 points on first serve. That first delivery gave her free points when rallies got tight, and it steadied her through a close first set before she pulled clear in the second.
It was also a small piece of revenge. Kalinina had beaten Kartal 7-6(4), 1-6, 6-1 in the round of 16 at Limoges last December. This time Kartal asked the questions with depth and patience, and she did not let the lead slip.
What makes this stand out is the timing of Kartal's run. She reached the third round of the Beijing Open in her first WTA tournament in six months after being sidelined with a stress fracture in her back, BBC Sport reported. Back-to-back wins in China suggest the body is holding and the rhythm is returning.
Next up is a sharp step up. Kartal will face Swiss ninth seed Belinda Bencic. The seeding keeps the top players apart in the early rounds, so meeting the No. 9 seed in round two shows how quickly the draw bites.
There was a big gap elsewhere in the draw. Home favourite Zheng Qinwen withdrew from Wuhan, saying her body felt very fatigued after an intense run of matches. Zheng had just become the first Chinese player to win the China Open.
For fans, this means opportunity. Wuhan is the final WTA 1000 event of the season, one rung below the four Grand Slams in ranking points and prize, as noted by the WTA. With Zheng out, the top half feels more open. Kartal, with nothing to protect and form building week by week, can swing freely against Bencic.
