Shock upset at Queen's Club: Local wildcard Sonay Kartal stuns Daria Kasatkina

A surprise at the Queen's Club Championships: World No. 16 Daria Kasatkina suffered a painful defeat in her debut, beaten by local favorite Sonay Kartal (No. 50) in a three-set battle, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3. It was 'Dasha's' grass-court swing debut, but she couldn't advance in the tournament as she prepares to defend her title in Eastbourne in two weeks

Kartal has showcased her talent multiple times, with a title at the 2024 Monastir Open and an appearance in the quarterfinals of Indian Wells. The 23-year-old Brit secures her second victory against a Top-20 player—the first being against Haddad Maia at Indian Wells—and returns to winning ways on grass courts at a WTA level tournament.

Kartal received a wildcard from the organizers to participate in the tournament and did not disappoint with a strong debut on the Andy Murray Arena. She becomes the first local player to claim a victory in only the first edition of the women's tournament.

The match began with a dominant first set from Kartal, who secured two consecutive breaks and surged to a 5-0 lead. She was two points away from achieving a bagel, but Kasatkina resisted by winning a single service game. The Brit then held her serve and closed the set 6-1. In the second set, things remained even, but Kasatkina pressed the accelerator at the right moment, winning 11 of the last 12 points to close the set 6-3.

However, the third set favored Kartal from the outset. She maintained her advantage with solid service games and sealed one of the best victories of her career, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, in two hours and five minutes. Kartal now awaits a potential second-round clash against either 8th seed Amanda Anisimova or local wildcard Jodie Burrage.