Sonay Kartal Wins on Beijing Return
Sonay Kartal beat Andrea Lazaro Garcia at the China Open in her first WTA Tour match after injury.
Kartal makes a winning start
Sonay Kartal opened her return with a straight-sets win in Beijing. She beat Andrea Lazaro Garcia 6-2 6-3. Kartal was playing her first WTA Tour match after an injury absence that had kept her away from the tour for almost six months.
The Briton broke serve five times. Lazaro Garcia's four double faults gave Kartal extra openings, while Kartal put 69% of her first serves in play. It was a composed performance after a long break from tour competition.
A sharper performance after the first return
Kartal had returned to tennis at the Billie Jean King Cup. Her first match there ended in a narrow loss to Marie Bouzkova, who is ranked No. 26. Bouzkova has won 6 of her last 10 completed matches, which offered Kartal a demanding first test.
Beijing brought a different result. Lazaro Garcia is ranked No. 137 and has split her last 10 completed matches at 5-5. Kartal next faces Wang Xinyu, the 31st seed, in a tougher match as she aims to rebuild her ranking.
Zverev handles Norrie as Alcaraz advances
Cameron Norrie lost 7-6 (7-1) 6-4 to Alexander Zverev. Zverev is ranked No. 2 and has won 9 of his last 10 completed matches. Norrie stayed close in the opening set, but Zverev carried his recent form through the match.
Carlos Alcaraz also advanced in Japan. The defending champion beat Alex Michelsen 7-6 (7-1) 4-6 6-1 after returning from a wrist injury. Alcaraz made five double faults and hit five aces, but saved five of 13 break points to set up a meeting with Matteo Arnaldi.
Rune's comeback ends quickly
Holger Rune's first ATP Tour match for almost a year ended in defeat. Kyrian Jacquet beat him 6-3 6-1 in Tokyo. Rune has been returning from the Achilles tendon injury he suffered in 2025, and the former world No. 4 has dropped outside the top 100.
It was an uneven day for returning players. Harriet Dart beat Yihan Qu, while Arthur Fery lost to Jaime Faria in the Japan Open. Kartal's victory stood out because her serving and return work held up immediately, with Wang waiting in Beijing.
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