British star Sonay Kartal crowned Lexus W100 Shrewsbury champion
Pictured: Sonay Kartal is this year’s winner of the Lexus W100 Shrewsbury title. Picture: James Baylis.
Sonay Kartal’s excellent week at The Shrewsbury Club ended with the British number four happy to be crowned Lexus W100 Shrewsbury champion. Having not dropped a set all week, Kartal led the all-British singles final against Heather Watson 7-5, 4-1, before Watson, who also enjoyed an impressive week in Shropshire, was forced to retire owing to injury.
There was also British success in the doubles with Amelia Rajecki and Mimi Xu the winners of the ITF World Tennis Tour event.
Kartal, 22, said she was “super happy with the win” and is now set to climb from her current ranking of 102 in the world as she continues to move in the right direction.
“Yesterday, I won from a retirement, the same today,” reflected Kartal. "It’s obviously never nice, especially in the final when it’s against your friend, but I think this week I’ve played great tennis, and I think I’ve progressed my game each match as I’ve gone on.”
Kartal established an early 4-1 lead in the opening set, which was watched by a capacity crowd of 650 in the DMOS People Arena. Watson responded positively to move 5-4 ahead, but Kartal then saw the set out to take it 7-5. Watson called for the physio early in the second set, and although she tried to play on, the current world number 157 was eventually forced to retire. Kartal was also a winner at The Shrewsbury Club earlier in her career when was won the UK Pro League title in 2021.
"I’m leaving here super positive and I’ve just gained even more confidence this week,” she said.
Kartal, who won her first WTA title in Tunisia last month and reached the third round at Wimbledon earlier this year, has enjoyed her week in Shrewsbury.
She added: “It was a tournament that I was targeting and was always going to come back. I was sad that I had to miss it last year with injury.
“I think that it’s a place for me and a club where I feel relaxed, and I think when you feel relaxed and comfortable on the court, I think that really helps with your tennis.
“The way the guys run the tournament and the crowds and everything, it’s such a high level tournament they put on.”
Watson, who said she was upset that she had to retire, added: "It’s the top of my calf muscle behind my knee. I’ve actually been carrying it the whole week, and also a quad, but today in the second game of the second set, I felt it go.
“I tried to carry on. I wasn’t sure if I hurt it worse, but then as each point went by after that I realised that I had done something to it and it was hindering me and I couldn’t move, and I felt it every step I took.
“It was such a shame because it’s the final and I was really upset when I had to retire because I can count on one hand the amount of times I’ve retired in my career, so that bit’s sad.
“But such a fantastic week and I’m proud that I got to the final, and Sonay played a great match regardless up until that point where I had to retire, so either way it would have been a tough ask.”
The Lexus W100 Shrewsbury, the biggest women’s tennis tournament, outside of the grass court season, to be played in the UK this year, was the first time that Watson has played at The Shrewsbury Club since also reaching the final of the 2011 event.
“I can’t believe how much this event has developed and how lovely it was to play out here on this court,” she said.
Watson, 32, said she can “take loads of positives from this week” and had enjoyed her time in Shrewsbury, adding: "I appreciated everybody who came out and supported today - the atmosphere was amazing.”
An all-British doubles final followed as Rajecki and Xu produced a fine performance to beat Hannah Klugman and Ranah Stoiber 6-4, 6-1. Both British doubles pairs have enjoyed excellent weeks in Shropshire.
Dave Courteen, the tournament promoter for the Lexus W100 Shrewsbury, was delighted with the success of the week, the first time the event has been held since David Lloyd Clubs, Europe’s largest health, fitness and wellness group, recently acquired The Shrewsbury Club.
"It’s been an excellent week of tennis,” he said. “This year was the strongest field we have ever had in terms of world rankings and it’s certainly not disappointed in terms of the quality of tennis, which has been amazing.
“To have a crowd of 650 for finals day is the biggest we’ve had and it just shows there is demand for people to watch world-class tennis here in Shrewsbury. It’s brilliant to bring an event of this stature to the town.
“It's the first time we’ve had six Brits in the finals here, singles and doubles, so that's just incredible and is testament to just how strong British tennis is.
“We thank all the sponsors and volunteers as without their support this event wouldn’t happen, while we are also grateful to the team at The Shrewsbury Club for all they have contributed.”
Richard Joyner, the tournament director for the LTA, added: “This event each year gets bigger and better. There was a full house for finals day, a fully engaged crowd, watching some great tennis.
“It means so much to the players to play in an atmosphere like this. It makes it a very special experience and that’s something that Shrewsbury and the local area, everyone involved, should be proud of.
“Part of our rationale as the national governing body, as the LTA, is to put these events on to give ranking point and prize money opportunities for British players to compete and earn points in their own country.
“With both of this week’s singles finalists and all four doubles finalists from Great Britain, it’s certainly achieving that.”