Kartal reaches Wimbledon last 16 with Parry win
The 23-year-old London-born player, of Turkish descent through her father, overcame a shaky start as Parry surged to a 3-0 lead. Kartal steadily clawed back, taking the first set and then dominating the second to seal her spot in the last 16, where she will face Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
Kartal's rise has been as understated as it is inspiring. Often overshadowed by compatriot Emma Raducanu, she has quietly built momentum with a focused and resilient approach. 'I'm super disciplined. I'm super determined. When I set my mind to something, I want to achieve it,' she said after the match
Coached since age six by Julie Hobbs (formerly Julie Pullin), Kartal trained at the Pavilion & Avenue Tennis Club in Hove, following her family's move from Sidcup. Despite playing many matches as a junior against Raducanu, Kartal admitted she wasn't among the top-tier prospects early on and missed out on Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) funding due to inconsistency and injuries.
That experience, however, may have helped forge her independence. 'I did quite a lot of tournaments on my own just 'cause I couldn't afford to pay a coach week in and week out,' she recalled. 'It helped me grow up super fast, made me much more mature.'
The LTA began supporting her at 19, a crucial time when she began to string together consistent wins. That backing, Kartal said, gave her access to vital equipment and training facilities that propelled her development and ranking surge.
An all-round sports talent, Kartal was also gifted in football and cricket growing up, and is ambidextrous—playing cricket and golf left-handed. 'I was always a batter,' she said with a laugh, adding that her power came from her tennis-trained swing.
With her grounded mindset, strong family support, and growing confidence on the court, Kartal is now making the most of her moment in the spotlight—and relishing every step of it.
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