British tennis player Sonay Kartal delivered an impressive performance at the WTA 250 ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand, as she overcame a sluggish start to defeat Germany’s Ella Seidel with a final score of 6-3, 6-1. After trailing at 1-3 in the first set, Kartal surged back, winning 11 out of the last 12 games to secure her place in the quarter-finals, where she will face the top seed, Elina Svitolina.
Kartal’s ability to capitalize on second serves played a pivotal role in her victory, winning an impressive 69% of points on her second delivery, in stark contrast to Seidel’s 23%. On second-serve returns, she dominated with a 77% win rate compared to Seidel’s 31%. The opening set was marked by three consecutive breaks of serve, two of which benefitted Seidel, but Kartal swiftly found her footing, breaking back twice to grab control. The second set saw Kartal in complete command, winning three out of four return games to close out the match effectively.
Elina Svitolina, the world number 13, had a challenging match against Britain’s Katie Boulter but managed to secure a straight-sets victory with a score of 7-5, 6-4. Boulter initially disrupted Svitolina’s rhythm by breaking her serve in the opening game and the first set featured a total of five breaks. However, Svitolina’s defensive prowess was on full display as she chased down drop shots and lobs, ultimately finding her form and clinching the second set more decisively. Next, she will come up against Kartal in what promises to be an intriguing quarter-final matchup.
Filipino player Alexandra Eala also advanced to the last eight, showcasing her talent by decisively defeating Croatia’s Petra Marcinko with a score of 6-0, 6-2 in her second-round match. Eala’s sharp play was evident as she converted all six of her break-point opportunities and demonstrated excellent serving, winning 83% of first-serve points in the first set. Despite a brief scare in the second set, where Marcinko managed a break, Eala quickly reclaimed the momentum to wrap up the match.
Eala’s next opponent will be Poland’s Magda Linette, who emerged victorious after a grueling three-set battle against Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto, ending the contest at 7-5, 2-6, 6-3. Linette faced an early setback in the first set but rallied to take control, saving three crucial break points in the process. Although the second set tilted in Cocciaretto’s favor, Linette rebounded strongly in the decider, racing to a commanding 5-0 lead before sealing her place in the quarter-finals.
Other quarter-final matchups will feature 3rd seed Iva Jovic from the United States taking on Belgium’s Sofia Costoulas, while 7th seed Wang Xinyu from China is set to face Britain’s Fran Jones. The ASB Classic continues to promise thrilling encounters, with no past champions remaining in the draw, apart from Elina Svitolina who was the runner-up in 2024. The tournament anticipates crowning a new champion as it approaches the later stages.
