A rising star in British tennis, Sonay Kartal, shares how Emma Raducanu's remarkable journey has inspired her and fellow players.
Kartal, a 23-year-old British tennis sensation, reveals that Raducanu's 2021 US Open victory was a game-changer for her and many other aspiring players. It proved that with hard work and determination, even the most ambitious goals are within reach.
Emma Raducanu, still a schoolgirl in early 2021, received a wildcard entry to Wimbledon that summer. She made it all the way to the round of 16 in her debut, a feat that boosted her ranking to around No. 150 in the world. But the real shock came two months later at the US Open, where she won an incredible 10 matches, all in straight sets, to become the first-ever qualifier in tennis history to win a Grand Slam. And all this at just 18 years old, in only her second Slam appearance!
Raducanu's success story is even more remarkable when you consider her close friend and hitting partner from their junior days, Sonay Kartal. While Kartal has had a different path, winning 14 Futures titles between 2021 and 2024 and then becoming a WTA champion in Monastir last year, her journey has been no less inspiring. Since her win in Monastir, Kartal has broken into the top 100 for the first time and achieved a career-high ranking of No. 44 in July. Currently ranked at No. 70, she also made her first Grand Slam round of 16 at this year's Wimbledon.
Kartal emphasizes the impact of Raducanu's US Open triumph: "It gave us all a bit of extra motivation and the belief that anything is possible. It was incredibly inspiring to see someone you've grown up with, someone you played under-9 nationals with, lift the US Open trophy." She adds, "I'd like to see myself breaking into the top 30."
At 24, Kartal is a testament to the fact that age is just a number in tennis. Her steady improvement over the years has been impressive, and the question now is whether she can take her game to the next level in 2026.
So, what do you think? Is Kartal's journey an inspiration, or do you see it differently? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!
