SONAY KARTAL is enjoying an ink-redible Wimbledon and is rising up the rankings.
The 23-year-old was down at No.259 ahead of last year’s tournament at the All England Club after a health battle left her hospitalised.
But a fantastic year in which she has won her first ever WTA Tour title and made at least the third round of Wimbledon will see Kartal climb into the world’s top 50.
Off the court, she has been in a relationship with bodybuilder Luke Ogbourn.
He bought her flowers after she made the first round at SW19 last year.
Though it is unclear whether they are still an item as Ogbourn has not been spotted at Wimbledon this year and traces of their relationship have disappeared from social media.
Kartal was born in London but grew up in Brighton alongside her sister and brother.
She is of Turkish descent and her dad used to own a “kebab takeaway” and “sit down restaurant” serving food from his country.
Kartal boasts an incredible tattoo collection and she has lifted the lid on their meanings.
She told SunSport: “I got a bee. I kind of left it to my sister. She was like, ‘will you get matching tattoo with me?’
“I went and played my match and she came back like, ‘I’ve got one.’ Didn’t tell me what it was and I kind of had to get bee.
“My most special one is my first dog, a golden retriever. When he passed away I got doggy ink and did his paw print downsized.
“The eagle is because Kartal means eagle in Turkish.
“The date, it says 2022, I did all the four Grand Slams, my first time.
“The knuckle ones just trying to be stylish maybe.
“The snake, I was just scrolling through my phone and saw that one as well.”
She also has quotes “the show must go on” and “time is everything we have and don’t” inked onto her body.
Kartal explained: “It’s just a quote I like to live by. Sometimes I think I can get a bit stressy and stuff, so for me, it kind of just tells me to calm down and just to be in the moment a little bit.”
Asked if a Wimbledon tattoo could be next, she replied: “I’m pretty open to maybe.
“Not a strawberry, but I’d get something that is not so obvious that means Wimbledon but something that if you know Wimbledon, you’d know what it is.
“Growing up, I was the type of person I’m never going to get a tattoo. I never really liked them.
“And then I got one when I was on holiday. Now I’ve got like 14.”
Kartal grew up training alongside Emma Raducanu.
Read the full article here