Kartal outlasts Andreeva in Beijing’s tactical duel

The Beijing evening carried a chill that sharpened every stroke as Sonay Kartal launched into her China Open debut, the 23-year-old Briton facing a defining test against No. 4 seed Mirra Andreeva. After a frustrating 0-3 stretch on North American hard courts in August, she had reignited her fire at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals two weeks earlier, carrying that spark into a tournament where the fast surface rewarded bold adaptations. This fourth-round encounter unfolded as a chess match on concrete, with extended rallies testing endurance and the crowd’s murmurs rising like a gathering storm, culminating in Kartal’s narrow three-set escape that vaulted her into uncharted territory.

Rebuilding momentum amid seasonal shadows

Kartal’s journey through 2025 had flickered with potential, from last-16 runs at Indian Wells and Wimbledon to her maiden title in Monastir last September, yet quarterfinals at the elite level had remained just out of reach. Her resurgence in Beijing gained traction with a win over No. 14 seed Daria Kasatkina in the prior round, followed by a straight-sets dismissal of Maya Joint, positioning her as the first British quarterfinalist here since Johanna Konta in 2016. The hard courts’ true bounce amplified her varied strokes, turning recent setbacks into fuel for a World No. 81 determined to climb. Andreeva arrived as the favorite, her 16-3 record in 2025 against players outside the Top 50 underscoring a dominance that faltered only three times since June—to Lois Boisson, Taylor Townsend in the US Open third round, and now Kartal herself. The teenager’s flat groundstrokes thrived in prolonged exchanges, but Beijing’s pace exposed cracks when opponents varied their attack.

Unpredictable angles seize the opening set

From the baseline, Kartal disrupted Andreeva’s rhythm with a mix of backhand slices laced with underspin and crosscourt redirects that stretched the court wide. In the third game, she repelled two break points, the first climaxing in a lunging smash after a rally that echoed through the stadium like a held breath released. The set stayed on serve until the end, where Kartal’s superb pass pierced the serve, prompting a double fault and consecutive forehand errors from the 18-year-old that handed over the first set 7-5. This tactical fluidity stemmed from hours of preparation, as Kartal later shared in press, having dissected her opponent’s patterns to counter anticipated assaults on her game. “I tried to be super unpredictable,” she explained, stressing the need for brave tennis in clutch moments—a departure from recent caution that she embraced fully here, accepting the risk to forge wins ahead. The Beijing lights cast long shadows across the court, heightening the drama as fans leaned forward, sensing the shift in a duel where shot selection outshone sheer power.

Decider’s bold strokes forge breakthrough

Andreeva regrouped swiftly in the second, shortening points with incisive volleys that exploited the surface’s speed, breaking early and maintaining control. Her confidence peaked while serving out the set at 6-3, weaving the match’s standout sequence: a teasing drop shot, a lofted reply, and an angled pass that whispered past Kartal, drawing applause that rippled through the stands. The third set balanced on a knife’s edge, holds dominating through 5-5 with only one break point—a save by Andreeva in the second game via a crosscourt forehand. Kartal then ignited, firing an audacious backhand winner down the line to erase danger and another to hold for 6-5, her aggression syncing perfectly with the hard court’s quick tempo. The final game grew cagey, Andreeva denying a first match point after Kartal’s lob drifted long in a frantic scramble, but the Briton persisted, a forehand winner crosscourt earning a second chance converted when the Russian’s reply sailed wide 6-4. This triumph marks Kartal’s first Top 10 win and her inaugural WTA 1000 quarterfinal, a milestone that pulses with rankings potential as points from Monastir drop soon. She next confronts No. 26 seed Linda Noskova, who dispatched Anastasia Potapova 6-2, 6-4 in 1 hour and 27 minutes; the 20-year-old Czech leads their head-to-head 6-4, 6-2 from Rome’s second round in May, but Kartal arrives emboldened, ready to extend her run under Beijing’s autumn sky. For the evolving tournament, follow the Scores, Draws, and Order of play.