China Open 2025: Sonay Kartal to face world No.5 Mirra Andreeva in fourth round clash
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Sonay Kartal will face reigning Indian Wells champion and world No.5 Mirra Andreeva in the fourth round at the China Open.
The British No.3 knocked out defending Lexus Eastbourne Open champion Maya Joint 6-3, 6-2 to book her spot in the last 16 - backing up her previous straight set victories over Daria Kasatkina and Alycia Parks.
Kartal continues her impressive form over the last few weeks, having also helped the Lexus GB Great Britain team reach the semi-finals of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals thanks to her victory over Ena Shibahara in the quarter-finals.
The 23-year-old is competing at the China Open for the first time and has now made the last 16 at WTA 1000 level or above three times in her career, all of which have come in 2025.
Kartal was quick out of the blocks in her third round encounter against Joint as she opened up a 4-0 lead.
The Australian - who has clinched two WTA titles so far this season - managed to put a stop to Kartal’s momentum as she settled into the match. Despite Joint recovering one of the breaks, Kartal staved off the pressure to close out the set.
It was another sturdy performance on serve for the Brit, who dropped just six points behind her serve in the second. The world No.81 made the most of her chances in the return games - breaking the 19-year-old Australian in the third and seventh games before sealing victory on her first match point.
Her win sees her set up a blockbuster clash against 18-year-old Andreeva, where Kartal will look to reach the quarter-final of a WTA 1000 event for the first time in her career.
Andreeva will arrive in the contest having clinched comfortable victories over China's Zhu Lin and Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.
It will mark a career-first meeting between the two players.
Meanwhile, British No.1 Emma Raducanu came within touching distance of joining Kartal in the last 16 after having three match points in her clash against world No.7 Jessica Pegula but eventually lost out in an agonising 6-3, 6-7(9), 6-0 defeat.
Raducanu put in a clinical display, which saw her lead the American by a set and a break. However, a resistant Pegula managed to fight back from the brink of defeat - saving three match points on her way to levelling the contest to a set apiece.
Having played a near-perfect two sets of tennis, Raducanu couldn’t sustain her level in the decider as the momentum shifted in Pegula’s favour to hand her the win in two hours and 21 minutes.
Raducanu will now turn her attention to the Wuhan Open, where she will look to return to winning ways.
When is Sonay Kartal playing next at the China Open?
Kartal’s fourth round clash against Andreeva is scheduled for Tuesday 30 September. You can watch all coverage of the Miami Open exclusively live on Sky Sports and NOW TV.
