Wuhan Open: Sonay Kartal upsets Belinda Bencic to reach third round
British tennis player Sonay Kartal defeated ninth seed Belinda Bencic at the Wuhan Open to reach the third round. This victory marks a significant milestone in her return to form following a six-month injury absence.
Why it matters
Kartal's performance highlights the challenges of professional athletes recovering from long-term injuries and their efforts to regain competitive rankings.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Sonay Kartal reached a career-high ranking of 44 following Wimbledon last year
Britain's Sonay Kartal upset ninth seed Belinda Bencic as she continued to build post-injury momentum at the Wuhan Open.
Kartal reached a career-high ranking of 44 last year but has slipped to 170th in the world after a six-month injury absence.
Having returned to action for Great Britain at last month's Billie Jean King Cup Finals, the 24-year-old reached the third round at the Beijing Open last week before beating Ukraine's Anhelina Kalinina in her opening match in Wuhan.
The impressive 6-0 7-5 victory over Swiss world number 12 Bencic, a Wimbledon semi-finalist last year, was the second biggest win of Kartal's career by ranking.
"I trusted that I would be able to get my level back, I just didn't know how quickly," Kartal said.
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