Britain’s Sonay Kartal missed the chance to reach a first Grand Slam quarter-final with defeat by Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in a match that saw controversy over a faulty line call.
It was a gallant effort from the 23-year-old, who ultimately succumbed 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 to the experience and know-how of former French Open finalist Pavlyuchenkova.
Play was halted by the umpire in the ninth game of the first set when Kartal’s backhand dropped long but the electronic line-calling system failed to call it out and the point had to be replayed.
Ranked 51 in the world, Kartal was already enjoying her best run at a Grand Slam having never gone beyond the third round.
She was aiming to become the first British woman to reach the quarter-finals at SW19 since Johanna Konta in 2019.
This time last year she was ranked outside the world’s top 250 players but her efforts at the All England Club this week will see her attain a new career-high ranking after the tournament.
The rising star of British tennis will take comfort in her achievements – victory over a top-20 player in the first round, resilience to come from behind when needed and a memorable Centre Court debut in front of a partisan crowd at her home Grand Slam.
Victory for world number 50 Pavlyuchenkova, 34, matches her 2016 run to the quarter-final at the grass-court major and she will face 30th seed Linda Noskova or 14th seed Amanda Anisimova next.
