Kartal makes up for lack of height with power
Sonay Kartal can walk tall as she takes to Wimbledon's Centre Court for her first ever fourth round at a Grand Slam.But that will be only in a metaphorical sense. Because, at just 5ft 4in (163 cm), the 23-year-old is the shortest player left in the main draw of the women's singles.Kartal, who has put together her best run at a major, describes herself as a "proud short person".While it has not held her back, she said it has had an impact on her game."You've got to have different skills in your locker. I've obviously not got the long limbs so I have got to make up for it with speed around the court," she told BBC Sport."It's something I've worked on growing up. I knew I wasn't going to reach the court with my long strides so I just had to be super-fast. It was something I purposefully tried to improve."
Jodie Burrage, who played doubles with Kartal, joked it was not a surprise to learn the statistic about Kartal's height "given how many lobs went over her head".Kartal said she has taken confidence from the success of the diminutive Italian Jasmine Paolini (also 5ft 4in), who was Wimbledon runner-up last year."My fellow short tennis player Paolini, she has obviously proved that you don't need height on your side. She has obviously done incredible," Kartal said.Anne Keothavong, Great Britain's Billie Jean King Cup captain, said: "Yes, she is one of the shortest players on tour but what she lacks in height she makes up for with power and foot speed."Kartal will make her Centre Court debut on Sunday afternoon when she faces Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova."It's a dream of any young tennis player so to be given the chance to go out there, I'm super-proud," she said."It means a lot. It's going to be a great experience, a good opportunity for me."Regardless of what happens, what she has already achieved has filled her with confidence for the future."I didn't expect it, I'll be honest. Grass is a surface that isn't my natural surface and in this I've already played a few big hitters, which again I struggle with."So this week is proving to myself that my level is there and I can do it on a surface that isn't too natural to me. So win or lose, it's been a positive week."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Glasgow Times
5 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
The abandoned London Underground platforms stuck in the 90s
While many Londoners act like they know all there is to know about the Tube, you might be surprised by one small detail. Among the many stations and platforms along the Tube, there are a handful that have become abandoned and are stuck in time. Including platforms at Charing Cross that have been closed to the public since 1999. The abandoned Tube platforms at Charing Cross Although Charing Cross Tube station is very much still active, there are some platforms within the station that have long been shut down. In 1979, Charing Cross joined the Jubilee line and saw the use of two platforms, a concourse and passenger tunnels. However, in 1999, the Jubilee line in Charing Cross was closed to the public after plans were created to extend the line to Lewisham. Charing Cross was never intended to be the final stop for the Jubilee line, with plans in the 1980s to regenerate the Docklands and East End area seeing a reroute of the line. The plans would see a reroute of the line from Green Park towards the south of the river to Waterloo, London Bridge, before moving back to Greenwich and Stratford. The change meant that Charing Cross's Jubilee platforms were no longer needed and were shut down. Despite being closed off, the platforms gained a new lease of life and have since become a filming location for major blockbusters. The platforms have featured in the likes of 28 Weeks Later, the James Bond movie Skyfall and the TV show Spooks. Recommended Reading Although the platforms are shut off to the public for daily use, you can still visit Charing Cross's Jubilee platforms through a Hidden London tour with the London Transport Museum. The Charing Cross: Behind the Silver Screen lets guests see behind the scenes of one of the busiest Tube stations in London. Allowing you to walk beneath Trafalgar Square and explore the closed-off Jubilee line platforms, passenger corridors, and concourses.
South Wales Argus
5 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
Wimbledon briefing: Saturday recap and order of play on a big day for Britain
Attention turns back to British hopes on Sunday, with Sonay Kartal and Cameron Norrie both targeting a quarter-final berth. Here, the PA news agency looks back at Saturdays's action and previews day seven of the Championships. Djokovic's ton Novak Djokovic brought up a big milestone on Centre Court (Mike Egerton/PA) Novak Djokovic brought up a century of Wimbledon wins as he moved smoothly into the fourth round. The 38-year-old eased past fellow Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic 6-3 6-0 6-4 on Centre Court. Djokovic is now just five wins behind Wimbledon's only other male centurion, his great rival Roger Federer on 105 match victories. 'Very historic, it sounds very nice,' he said. 'Wimbledon is a favourite tournament, not just for myself but for most players. Any history I make at my favourite tournament, I'm blessed.' Sinner sails through Jannik Sinner has barely broken a sweat in SW19 (Mike Egerton/PA) Jannik Sinner continued to navigate a serene course through the choppy waters of Wimbledon with another straight-sets win. Pedro Martinez was his latest victim, the Spanish world number 52 – who was carrying a shoulder injury – winning just five games in a 6-1 6-3 6-1 defeat on Centre Court. In reaching the fourth round, the 23-year-old Italian has dropped only 17 games from his three matches. Roger Federer previously held the record for the least games lost in the first three rounds at Wimbledon, 19 in 2004. Brit watch Sonay Kartal is in high spirits ahead of her first appearance in the last 16 of a grand slam (Mike Egerton/PA) The last home singles players standing are the British number threes. Sonay Kartal's best grand slam result has already been secured and she will now look to become the first home female player to reach the last eight since Johanna Konta in 2019 – and only the second since 1984 – when she takes on Russian veteran Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Cameron Norrie has been here before and the 2022 semi-finalist faces Chilean qualifier Nicolas Jarry on Court One – where Norrie enjoys an 8-1 record. Match of the day Carlos Alcaraz has not been at his best so far (John Walton/PA) Carlos Alcaraz has not looked at his imperious best on his way to the last 16. But the defending champion will have to find a higher level on Sunday against the dangerous Russian Andrey Rublev. Rublev has won one of their previous three meetings – on the clay in Madrid last year – and has powered his way through to the fourth round at Wimbledon for the third time. Alcaraz could be in for a tricky evening on Centre Court. Order of play Centre Court (from 1.30pm) Sonay Kartal v Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova Aryna Sabalenka (1) v Elise Mertens (24) Carlos Alcaraz (2) v Andrey Rublev (14) Court One (from 1pm) Taylor Fritz (5) v Jordan Thompson Cameron Norrie v Nicolas Jarry (Q) Amanda Anisimova (13) v Linda Noskova (30) Weather Cloudy changing to light showers by late morning, with a maximum temperature of 24C, according to the Met Office.
The Guardian
28 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Jurassic World Rebirth to Gaza: Doctors Under Attack – the week in rave reviews
Channel 4; available now Summed up in a sentence A belated airing of the hugely controversial documentary that the BBC refused to show: a horrifying investigation into claims that Israel's Defence Force has systematically targeted Palestinian medics. What our reviewer said 'This is the sort of television that will never leave you. It will provoke an international reaction, and for extremely good cause. Forget what got it stopped at the BBC. It is here now and, regardless of how that happened, we owe it to the subjects to not look away.' Stuart Heritage Read the full review Further reading Gaza film's producer accuses BBC of trying to gag him over decision to drop it BBC iPlayer; available now Summed up in a sentence The second series of a brilliant, startlingly feral comedy about a trio of troubled female relatives – whose first outing won a comedy Bafta. What our reviewer said 'Such Brave Girls won't be to everyone's tastes. But if you like your comedy scary, lairy and perfectly portioned, it is a total knockout.' Hannah J Davies Read the full review Further reading 'Who else can we annoy with our show?': Such Brave Girls, Britain's most gleefully offensive comedy returns Netflix; full series available Summed up in a sentence Interviewees including Tony Blair feature in this absolutely comprehensive look at how the 2005 London transport bombings prompted the UK's largest criminal investigation. What our reviewer said 'Though it is by now a familiar story, this evokes the fear, confusion and panic of that day in heart-racing detail.' Rebecca Nicholson Read the full review BBC iPlayer; all episodes available Summed up in a sentence Adam Curtis applies his archive-footage packed documentary style to explaining how the atomisation of UK society has destroyed our democracy – with mesmerising results. What our reviewer said 'It is an increasing rarity to stand in the presence of anyone with an idea, a thesis, that they have thoroughly worked out to their own satisfaction and then presented stylishly, exuberantly and still intelligently. The hell and the handcart feel that bit more bearable now.' Lucy Mangan Read the full review Further reading Thatcher, Farage and toe-sucking: Adam Curtis on how Britain came to the brink of civil war In cinemas now Summed up in a sentence Near-extinct franchise roars back to life as latest instalment offers Spielberg-style set pieces and excellent romantic chemistry between leads Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey. What our reviewer said 'This new Jurassic adventure isn't doing anything so very different from the earlier successful models, perhaps, and I could have done without its outrageous brand synergy product placement for certain brands of chocolate bar. But it feels relaxed and sure-footed in its Spielberg pastiche, its big dino-jeopardy moments and its deployment of thrills and laughs.' Peter Bradshaw Read the full review Further reading 'The script didn't have Jurassic World on the front': Gareth Edwards on Monsters, Godzilla, Star Wars and reinventing dinosaurs In cinemas now Summed up in a sentence Elaborate necrophiliac meditation on loss and longing from David Cronenberg, starring Vincent Cassel as an oncologist who has founded a restaurant with a hi-tech cemetery attached. What our reviewer said 'The film has its own creepy, enveloping mausoleum atmosphere of disquiet, helped by the jarring electronic score by Howard Shore.' Peter Bradshaw Read the full review Further reading 'Something must have gone wrong with us': David Cronenberg and Howard Shore on four decades of body horror In cinemas now Summed up in a sentence Superb documentary about the making of Francis Ford Coppola's masterpiece Apocalypse Now, with Coppola's epic meltdown in the jungle. What our reviewer said 'Haemorrhaging money and going insanely over-schedule, Coppola shot his film in the Philippines during burning heat, humidity and monsoons and borrowed army helicopters and pilots from President Ferdinand Marcos, only to find that on many occasions – especially during the legendary Ride of the Valkyries attack scene – filming had to halt as the Filipino military would ask for their helicopters back so they could suppress a communist insurgency. In fact, Coppola found himself reproducing reality on a 1:1 scale.' Peter Bradshaw Read the full review Further reading Francis Ford Coppola: 'Apocalypse Now is not an anti-war film' Prime Video; available now Summed up in a sentence John Cena and Idris Elba star in fun and well-modulated throwback comedy as the US president and UK prime minister, who team up to escape terrorists. What our reviewer said 'Fun, fiery and totally frivolous, Heads of State is a perfect summer movie with great potential for future sequels.' Andrew Lawrence Read the full review Sky Cinema and Now; available now Summed up in a sentence Compelling story of Formula One star Damon Hill's trials on and off the racetrack in its depiction of the psychological pressure cooker in which the driver competed. What our reviewer said 'It has quiet, but profound, lessons to impart in its emphasis on the driver's need to live up to his roistering father Graham, and on the real meaning of victory in the most alpha of environments that is Formula One.' Phil Hoad Read the full review Further reading 'I was angry at the world': Damon Hill on pain of his father's death and how it fuelled his rise Review by Dorian Lynskey Summed up in a sentence An investigation into the causes of America's 1970s serial killer epidemic comes up with some surprising answers. What our reviewer said 'It is as hauntingly compulsive a nonfiction book as I have read in a long time. It gets into your blood.' Read the full review Review by Joanna Quinn Summed up in a sentence A sequel to Hideous Kinky, 30 years on, explores the effects of an unconventional upbringing. What our reviewer said 'It's billed as a novel but arguably occupies an interesting grey area between novel and memoir, resisting the expectations of both and creating something all of its own.' Read the full review Further reading 'When I read my sister's stories I think, that's not what it was like!': Esther Freud on the perils of writing about family Review by Beejay Silcox Summed up in a sentence An ambitious, globe-trotting epic of political and family secrets. What our reviewer said 'Flashlight is all kinds of big: capacious of intent and scope and language and swagger, confronting a chapter of North Korean history that American fiction has barely touched.' Read the full review Review by Sam Leith Summed up in a sentence Deadpan short stories that range from the surreal to the philosophical to the absurd. What our reviewer said 'Not so much one book as a library of tiny books, from an author who conveys as well as any I can think of just how much fun you can have with a short story.' Read the full review Review by Houman Barekat Summed up in a sentence Inside the glittering, gossipy world of publisher Condé Nast. What our reviewer said 'Grynbaum quotes one journalist who believes she missed out on an editorship because, during the interview lunch, she gauchely ate asparagus with cutlery rather than by hand' Read the full review In bookshops now Summed up in a sentence The murdered Guardian journalist's final investigation, completed by his friends and supporters. What our reviewer said 'A book both brilliant and broken, one that is ultimately as inspiring and devastating as the Amazon itself' Charlie Gilmour Read the full review Further reading A deadly mission: how Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira tried to warn the world about the Amazon's destruction Out now Summed up in a sentence After a long legal battle, the pop star's sixth album harks back to her 2010s hot-mess era, with a buffet of pop styles and only rare hints of her highly publicised trauma. What our reviewer said 'The songs are all really strong, filled with smart little twists and drops, and funny, self-referential lines.' Alexis Petridis Read the full review Further reading 'I would walk in and just cry for two hours': Kesha on cats, court cases, and the dangers of 'toxic positivity' Out now Summed up in a sentence The UK collective have been reimagining south Asian music since 2020, and their new compilation splices junglism and afro-house on to gems in Sony India's catalogue. What our reviewer said 'Reframing this nostalgic cinema music for the modern dancefloor, Alterations proves there is still plenty of space for future generations of diaspora artists to celebrate and find inspiration in their heritage.' Ammar Kalia Read the full review Out now Summed up in a sentence Despair runs through the Londoner's fifth album but, in what is essentially a love letter to the trans community, his home town and partner, beauty breaks through. What our reviewer said 'Hope and hard-won happiness, against all odds, underpins this rich, compelling and timely record.' Rachel Aroesti Read the full review Further reading Kae Tempest: 'I was living with this boiling hot secret in my heart' Out now Summed up in a sentence Performed by Russian pianist Yulianna Avdeeva, these 24 works, modelled on Bach, date from 1950 and 1951 and were originally written for pianist Tatiana Nikolayeva. What our reviewer said 'Avdeeva takes a lighter approach, less forthright, and perhaps not digging as deeply into the barely disguised tragedy of the E minor Prelude as Nikolayeva does, but equally dazzling in the exuberant display of the A minor.' Andrew Clements Read the full review Playing outdoor shows this week Summed up in a sentence Playing outdoor shows including the big send-off for Black Sabbath on Saturday, the thrash legends have reformed and are playing their first UK gigs in six years. What our reviewer said 'Slayer are still a shocking proposition, their churning riffs punctuated by gross-out gore and grim images from endless war. Subtle? No. Effective? Absolutely.' Huw Baines Read the full review
