British star gives brutal assessment of her own performance after Australian Open exit

20 Jan 2026 • 4:44 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • British number two Sonay Kartal suffered a first-round defeat at the Australian Open on Tuesday.
  • She lost to 31st seed Anna Kalinskaya with a score of 7-6 (3) 6-1.
  • Kartal described her performance as her worst in years, stating her base level was not present.
  • She admitted to relying too heavily on her opponent's errors and playing a poor tie-break.
  • This loss follows a narrow defeat to Elina Svitolina in Auckland earlier this month, and Kartal is still seeking her first victory at the tournament.

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