Briton Kartal wins at Queen's at first tournament in 52 years
Britain's Sonay Kartal secured the biggest win of her career as women's tennis returned to Queen's Club for the first time since 1973.The 23-year-old secured a superb 6-1 3-6 6-3 win over world number 16 Daria Kasatkina of Australia to start her grass-court season on a high.It is the first time a women's tournament has been held at the iconic venue since 1973, when Olga Morozova lifted the trophy.Queen's has been a mainstay on the men's calendar and a WTA 500 event has been added this year in an attempt to raise the profile of the women's game and increase the visibility of the sport.Come Sunday, the trophy will finally have a new name on it, with world number seven Zheng Qinwen, Australian Open champion Madison Keys and 2022 Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina among the top seeds competing in the capital.
Jodie Burrage will attempt to set up a meeting with doubles partner Kartal in the last 16 when she faces Amanda Anisimova later on Monday.Meanwhile, British pair Katie Boulter and Emma Raducanu overcame China's Jiang Zinyu and Wu 6-4 6-2 Fang-hsien on their maiden outing as a doubles partnership on a packed Court One.It could be an all-British affair in the quarter-finals should Britons Burrage and Kartal overcome top seeds Lyudmyla Kichenok and Erin Routliffe on Tuesday.
Kartal has enjoyed a remarkable rise in the past 12 months, moving from outside the top 250 to a career-high of 50 in the world.Cheered on by a packed partisan crowd, Kartal dominated the opening set against Kasatkina before the Australian bounced back in the second set to level proceedings.But it was an impressive response from the Briton, who beamed after slamming down a forehand winner to seal victory."The nerves hit me a little but to be able to play on this court with you guys cheering me on it was a super special moment," said Kartal."The last few months I've played bigger tournaments so I'm handling the bigger occasions better. "But I'm going at my own pace in this crazy sport."
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Times
27 minutes ago
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We've seen it before, Jude Bellingham at the death, whacking home to rescue England. That's how it seemed when Bellingham controlled with his thigh, volleyed past Édouard Mendy and the score on the big screen went to 2-2, and Jude the hero stuck out his tongue and whipped up the City Ground crowd. But The Adventures of Thomas Tuchel in England really are not following the script. Bellingham's 'goal' was disallowed after a VAR check showed the ball came his way off Levi Colwill's arm. And the motif ended up not being a Bellingham celebration but Bellingham smashing the ball away, booting a bucket and screeching at the fourth official as boos hailed down on England's expensive imported manager. As the scoreboard, now at full-time, showed England 1 Senegal 3. Oh, this was grim. Worse than Andorra, worse than England at Euro 2024 — they did not play well in those matches either but at least they got results. 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But there were also times when Senegal found it easy to play quickly through a flat, outnumbered England midfield. And when the Senegalese pressed high they were able to pen in England's back four, who then had to go long. It was less building through the thirds than hammering it to the nines. One of Tuchel's beliefs, however, is that more important than tactics are 'behaviours' and some showed the traits he wants in England players: aggression, positive intent and speed of action. Gallagher throbbed with these as he led the pressing, and some brilliant pressuring from him and Eze forced the door open for England to score in the seventh minute. Senegal overplayed deep, with Camara turning infield and trying to take the ball on a run in front of his defence. The midfielder plays in the Botola Pro League of Morocco, which may not be as fast paced as the Premier League, and he believed he had time. 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Walker whipped a searching, low ball across the face of goal and all Gordon had to do was steer it home at the back post, but he lost concentration and knocked it wide. Yet even while England were creating chances, Senegal were having plenty of success going the other way. Iliman Ndiaye had opened England up after only four minutes, gliding between Lewis-Skelly and Gallagher and caressing a pass to Nicolas Jackson, and Henderson used his legs to make a good save from Jackson. Walker was slow to track back for Senegal's equaliser… ITV … and Sarr pounced to make it 1-1 REUTERS After ten minutes Henderson was having to palm away a drive from Idrissa Gueye and, midway through the half, Tuchel had his hands on his knees and was shouting at Lewis-Skelly to be more aggressive when his failure to close allowed Diatta to play inside and begin a switch of play. The ball went out to El Hadji Malick Diouf, the left back, who bent a brilliant cross on to the head of the arriving Sarr. Henderson made a fine save from his Crystal Palace team-mate's powerful header. A further warning came when Ndiaye went on another dribble and laid back to Gueye, who shot through a crowd of bodies to force another stop from Henderson. But it went unheeded and Senegal's equaliser showed up all of England's worst traits. Carelessness, complacency, passivity. Far more players evidenced these bad 'behaviours' than there were those demonstrating the good ones. These included, very worryingly, all of England's defensive players, and when Gueye collected possession deep and nine-ironed a fine long pass to Jackson, Trevoh Chalobah did nothing to pressure his Chelsea team-mate. Jackson hooked the ball back and there was Sarr, far too quick for wheezing old Walker, ready to smack it in. Walker was booked for a weary challenge just before half-time and straight after the interval Senegal attacked down his side again, with Diouf crossing and Gueye skying a great chance. Tuchel introduced Morgan Rogers, Curtis Jones and — to great roars — Gibbs-White just before Senegal's second goal, and with Kane off, Rogers joined Eze up front. The changes gave England a jolt of energy and when Eze's brilliant back-heel teed up Gibbs-White it was all set for the local favourite to be the hero — but Gibbs-White shot straight at Mendy. Then, after superb combination play involving Gibbs-White and Eze, Saka failed to beat Mendy from eight yards. Again, playing for Arsenal, it surely would have been different. Tuchel must be the latest to wonder: just what does this England shirt do to players? England (4-2-3-1): D Henderson 7 — K Walker 4, T Chalobah 5, L Colwill 5, M Lewis-Skelly 5 (I Toney 88) — B Saka 6 (N Madueke 71), C Gallagher 7 (C Jones 59, 6), D Rice 5 (J Bellingham 71), A Gordon 6 (M Gibbs-White 58, 6) — H Kane 7 (M Rogers 59, 6), E Eze 7. Booked Walker, Colwill. Senegal (4-3-3) É Mendy 7 —K Diatta 8, K Koulibaly 7, M Niakhaté 6, E Diouf 7 —H Diarra 8 (P Gueye 71), I Gueye 9, L Camara 6 — I Sarr 8 (C Sabaly 70), N Jackson 7 (B Dia 82), I Ndiaye 7. Booked Diatta.
