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.
Match Statistics Kasatkina vs. Kartal
Kasatkina |
VS |
Kartal |
1 |
Aces |
0 |
5 |
Double Faults |
0 |
65% (55/84) |
1st Service Percentage |
72% (68/95) |
62% (34/55) |
1st Service Points Won |
66% (45/68) |
45% (13/29) |
2nd Service Points Won |
52% (14/27) |
50% (4/8) |
Break Points Saved |
78% (7/9) |
67% (8/12) |
Service Games |
85% (11/13) |
34% (23/68) |
1st Return Points Won |
38% (21/55) |
48% (13/27) |
2nd Return Points Won |
55% (16/29) |
- |
Break Points Saved |
- |
2h 05m |
Match Duration |
2h 05m |