China Open Round-Up: Sonay Kartal stuns Andreeva to seal first Top-10 win, sets quarterfinal with Noskova

Sonay Kartal achieved the biggest victory of her career this Wednesday at the China Open, eliminating World No. 5 Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 2-6, 7-5 after two and a half hours of play. The Brit secures a boost of over 20 positions in the rankings and will compete in the quarterfinals of a WTA 1000 for the first time.

The Brit was not the only surprise in this Round of 16 session at the China Open, as the 20-year-old Czech star Linda Noskova advanced to the quarterfinals of a WTA 1000 for the second time in her career after defeating Anastasia Potapova 6-2, 6-4. She will face Kartal for a spot in the semifinals, a stage neither of them has reached previously at this level of tournament.

Kartal's resilience secures first career Top-10 victory

Kartal has had a notable last year since winning her first WTA title at the Jasmin Open in September 2024. Since then, she has managed to make a name for herself among the best, with great performances for the Great Britain Billie Jean King Cup Team, appearances in the Fourth Round of Indian Wells and Wimbledon, and victories over notable players. However, it wasn't until today that she achieved her first victory over a Top-10 player, by overcoming teenager Mirra Andreeva.

The 23-year-old Brit had already defeated rivals like Maya Joint and Daria Kasatkina and dreamt of causing an upset against Andreeva. It was a tight battle, where Kartal was more effective in the critical moments. In the first set, both were solid on serve, but the pressure at the end of the set got to Andreeva, and Kartal secured the break in the 12th game on her first chance, closing the set 7-5.

The second set saw a recovery from Andreeva, who took control of the game and claimed the set after winning a remarkable 74% of points on her serve—far superior to Kartal's 52%. Andreeva took the set 6-2 without conceding her service game, sending the match to a decisive set.

It was there that Kartal showed her resilience in another tight set that followed the same logic as the first. Both defended their service games, and Kartal was forced to save a couple of break points along the way, failing to secure her own chances for much of the set. At 5-5, Andreeva squandered a break point, and after Kartal successfully defended her serve, she secured the break—and match point—in the very next game, avoiding a tie-break and closing out the victory 7-5, 2-6, 7-5, the most important of her career.

She advances to the China Open quarterfinals, and the more than 200 points gained place her at World No. 60—guaranteeing she becomes the British No. 2 starting Monday, second only to Emma Raducanu (No. 30).

Match Statistics Andreeva vs. Kartal

Noskova advances to second career WTA 1000 quarterfinal

Another somewhat unexpected name in the quarterfinals is 20-year-old star Linda Noskova, who started as the 26th seed and quietly earned her place among the Top-8. The Czech benefited in the third round from the injury retirement of 7th seed Zheng Qinwen—in a three-set battle—and faced Anastasia Potapova in the Round of 16, a rival with little experience in the late stages of major tournaments.

Noskova came into the match against Potapova as the favorite and with a significant opportunity to advance. The Czech did not have the best day on her serve, with only a 53% first-serve percentage, but her effectiveness on return proved key, securing a victory that looked straightforward on the scoreboard: 6-2, 6-4.

The World No. 27 had some doubts on her serve in the first set but capitalized on Potapova's own struggles to secure three consecutive breaks, which comfortably gave her the set 6-2 after 32 minutes.

Noskova maintained the momentum at the start of the second set, securing another break and moving comfortably ahead 2-0. That's when Potapova's reaction came—winning four of the next five games—and taking the lead 4-3. The Russian showed resilience but it wasn't enough for a comeback. In an end-game with break opportunities for both players, Noskova ultimately secured the victory (6-2, 6-4) and advanced to the quarterfinals of a WTA 1000 for the second time in her career.

Her last appearance at this stage was at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in February this year, where she lost to eventual runner-up Clara Tauson. Noskova has secured a move up to World No. 22, and another victory to reach the semifinals will see her enter the Top-20 for the first time—in addition to guaranteeing she becomes the Czech No. 1, surpassing Karolína Muchová (No. 21).

Match Statistics Potapova vs. Noskova