Kartal gets British Wimbledon charge off to flying start

LONDON: The biggest British assault on Wimbledon for 41 years got off to a great start on Monday when Sonay Kartal upset 20th seed and former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko 7-5 2-6 6-2.

British tennis is enjoying a buoyant period, and although Jack Draper and Emma Raducanu are making most of the headlines, there are 23 Britons in the men’s and women’s singles this week, the most at Wimbledon since 1984.

Seven qualified directly through their top-100 world rankings, U.S.-based collegiate player Oliver Tarvet came through qualifying, and a further 15 players were handed wildcards.

Raducanu, the biggest draw for the locals, takes on fellow Briton Mimi Xu, one off three teenage British wildcards in the draw, later on Number One Court. Raducanu, Katie Boulter and Kartal were all in the top 50 last week, the first time three British women were ranked that highly since 1986.

Kartal got things going on a sun-drenched Court Three on Monday morning but struggled to find her range in the early games and quickly trailed 4-1. She finally gave the crowd something to cheer when she broke back for 4-5, and then spiritedly held serve.

Latvian Ostapenko, a Wimbledon semi-finalist in 2018 and quarter-finalist last year, was losing her range and Kartal broke again before serving out for the set.

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The crowd lapped it up, but Kartal’s quality immediately dropped off in the second set and Ostapenko, who beat the Briton in straight sets at Eastbourne last week, did not have to work too hard to take it 6-2. Then it was Ostapenko’s turn to lose her form, making some horrible errors amid regular chuntering at the crowd, as Kartal, 23, broke in the opening game and surged into a 5-0 lead.

Ostapenko finally stopped the rot but 51st-ranked Kartal held her nerve and served out impressively to take the decider 6-2.

Fourth seed Draper, one of 13 Britons in the men’s draw, is the biggest home hope since Andy Murray and kicks off his campaign against Argentine Sebastian Baez on Tuesday.