# Kartal beats Wang as Zverev sets up Djokovic clash

> British tennis player Sonay Kartal wins her second match back from injury at the China Open, while Alexander Zverev advances to face Novak Djokovic.
- Title: Kartal beats Wang as Zverev sets up Djokovic clash · BBC Sport
- Summary: British tennis player Sonay Kartal wins her second match back from injury at the China Open, while Alexander Zverev advances to face Novak Djokovic. Sonay…
- Keywords: sonay kartal, alexander zverev, novak djokovic, china open, tennis, wta tour, elena rybakina, alina charaeva, sports, Kartal, beats, Wang
- Source: BBC Sport — https://bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/articles/cvlyd856kdr8o
- Published: 2026-10-03T15:27:03.305+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: sonay kartal, alexander zverev, novak djokovic, china open, tennis, wta tour, elena rybakina, alina charaeva, sports
## Kartal beats Wang in straight sets
Great Britain's Sonay Kartal defeated Chinese 31st seed Wang Xinyu six three, six two at the China Open in Beijing in only her second tour match after six months out with a back injury.
## Rybakina shock exit opens Kartal's path
Kartal would have faced newly crowned world number one Elena Rybakina in the last thirty two, but the top seed from Kazakhstan fell to a shock three set defeat by Armenian world number one hundred eighteen Alina Charaeva.
## Kartal's return after long injury layoff
Kartal had slipped to one hundred twenty nine in the world after missing the majority of the season, including the past three Grand Slam tournaments. She retired injured from Indian Wells in March and did not return to competitive action until last month's Billie Jean King Cup Finals.
## Kartal targets better result than 2025
Kartal made the quarter finals in Beijing in two thousand twenty five. She said, I am super happy to play here and I think that shows in my tennis. I am looking to equal or hopefully do better this year.

> I am super happy to play here and I think that shows in my tennis. I am looking to equal or hopefully do better this year.
## Zverev beats Shang, faces Djokovic Sunday
Men's top seed Alexander Zverev cruised past China's Juncheng Shang six zero, six three to book a quarter final against Novak Djokovic on Sunday. Zverev has won the French Open and US Open this season.
## Zverev's path to world number one
The twenty nine year old German knows he will rise to number one in the world for the first time in his career should he win the China Open and Shanghai Masters, which starts on Wednesday, October seventh.
## Sinner's withdrawal boosts Zverev's chances
Zverev's chances were boosted on Saturday when current world number one Jannik Sinner announced his decision to withdraw from the Shanghai Masters. Italian Sinner is recovering from a knee injury and has not played since beating Zverev in the final of Wimbledon in July.
## Key takeaway

Sonay Kartal defeated Wang Xinyu six three, six two in her second match back from a six month back injury at the China Open in Beijing.