THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 1, 2024

Sonay Kartal

Press Conference

S. KARTAL/S. Cirstea

3-6, 6-2, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Must feel good to get that win today.

SONAY KARTAL: Yeah, I'm super stoked with that one. I think last two years, having fallen short, I felt good this year coming through qualifying. I think it really helped with my performance. It gave me extra confidence having played the matches not that long ago at all.

I think that really played a part in the win today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You completed the hat trick with Emma and Lily being three Brits going through. Must be nice they won...

SONAY KARTAL: Yeah, I hadn't known they won, so... That's obviously super good for British tennis. It's nice when you see your friends also winning. I think this year, it's nice the grass season, the girls are all supporting each other. It's nice that you train with them, everyone's behind the scenes always supporting, wishing each other the best of luck.

Like you said, I think it's a great start to the Wimbledon run this year.

Q. Was that your greatest feeling on a tennis court thus far in your career?

SONAY KARTAL: My greatest and definitely my proudest. I think getting a first win at any slam, and to have it at Wimbledon makes it extra special. To have the people around me that I've spent my whole life since I was six playing with, they were here to experience that with me, I think that made it extra special today.

Q. Who was here in your corner?

SONAY KARTAL: I have my parents here. I had my best friend since I've known since I was six. Members from my club. I've been a member there, again, since I was six. Obviously the team that I work with behind the scenes. Everyone was here.

There were voices I heard in the crowd that I recognized also today. I think that was also really nice to have that support.

Q. Do you think it's benefited you had to come through qualifying?

SONAY KARTAL: I think that definitely played a big part. Last two years I was a wild card, so I hadn't played matches so close to the first round.

This year I felt really good going into this year. Obviously, I think I finished only a couple days ago. That was still pretty fresh. I was practicing well still.

I think, yeah, this year I had a whole new load of confidence I didn't have the previous years.

Q. I was reading beforehand that this sort of year or the last 12 months you've struggled a little bit health-wise. I'm guessing there's a point you didn't think you'd even be playing Wimbledon let alone actually winning.

SONAY KARTAL: Yeah, I had a scary few months at the start of the year. I said I won't disclose what it was, but it was health-related. I didn't think I would be back potentially at all this year.

It was tough sitting on the sidelines for a few months and watching your friends play, et cetera. But I've got a great team around me, a doctor that when I thought I wouldn't be back was completely determined, changed my mind that I would. I had full faith and fully believed she would get me back on the court.

To be able to do that so soon and to go straight in the deep end, as well, something I'm super proud of.

Q. When did you find out you had a chance actually going through qualifying and maybe being able to play?

SONAY KARTAL: Found out when I was in Ilkley, so a couple weeks ago. Yeah, I found before it got published. Again, I don't think I deserved the main draw wild card. I hadn't played. There were players that were playing, had great results.

Like I said, I think going through qualifying was the best thing for me this year. I think it worked out very well for me.

Q. How much are you focusing on the draw? You've probably seen in the third round you could come up against Coco Gauff.

SONAY KARTAL: I'm taking one match at a time is the way I approach everything. You just have to play the per in front of you on that day. I'm not looking at that at all. I still have another match to get through before I can even think about that. I'm just focused on Wednesday's match.

Q. You must have confidence coming through from the third set and really taking it?

SONAY KARTAL: I think the first set I started with quite a few nerves. It's always tough going through first match. So I think that kind of dictated a lot of it. I had to refind my ground.

Second set, started to play much better, was playing much freer. Kind of took the equation out of the picture.

Third set, yeah, I was cruising. I felt like I was just playing at home and everything was just working just as it was in the practice court.