Sonay Kartal has a wish for her and Emma Raducanu during their tennis careers.
The 23-year-old has made significant strides in her game over the past year and is currently ranked inside the WTA’s top 50.
Kartal is the British number three, behind Katie Boulter and the reigning British number one and 2021 US Open winner, Raducanu.
The world number 38 and Kartal have known each other since their junior days and along with Boulter they lead the way as Britain’s best chances of success in the game.
Sonay Kartal explains what used to happen with Emma Raducanu at junior events
Kartal has started to make her presence felt on the WTA Tour in 2025.
She reached the Indian Wells round of 16 after coming through the qualifiers in March, and she has continued to make progress in her game.
Kartal is currently ranked 11 places behind Emma Raducanu and as she tries to catch her, she reminisced on the days playing each other on the junior circuit.
“We’d always play each other in the final,” Kartal told BBC South East. “We played those and went our separate ways in our teenage years and it’s nice to reconnect now we’re older.
“We’d love to recreate the videos and matches online of us playing as kids, it’s nice to be back at the same event again.”
Sonay Kartal outlines rankings goal
In early April 2024, Kartal was ranked outside of the world’s top 300.
Fourteen months later and she is into the top 50 and playing some of the best tennis of her career so far.
Kartal is pleased with the progress she has made, but the current world number 49 does not plan on stopping there.
“Since last year, I’ve made a lot of strides in my game. I’ve played a lot of bigger events, it’s become normal,” she added.
“Leading into the grass, top 50 was an end of year goal, the new goal for me is now top 30. I feel better now in general on the court and off the court.”
