GB's Kartal wins on WTA return after six months out

Sonay Kartal, a British tennis player, returned to the WTA Tour after a six-month absence due to injury and secured a victory against Andrea Lazaro Garcia at the China Open. The 24-year-old, who suffered a lower back injury in March at Indian Wells, made her comeback at the Billie Jean King Cup on September 22. Kartal defeated Lazaro Garcia, ranked 129th in the world, 6-2, 6-3, breaking the qualifier's serve five times, aided by four of Garcia's double faults.

Kartal, who lost to Czech world number 26 Marie Bouzkova in her first return match, hit 69% of her first serves and will next face China's 31st seed Wang Xinyu. The British tennis community will also witness fellow players Harriet Dart and Cameron Norrie compete later on Thursday. In other news, British number one Arthur Fery lost to Portuguese lucky loser Jaime Faria in the Japan Open first round, while Denmark's Holger Rune suffered a loss in his first ATP Tour appearance in nearly a year due to an Achilles tendon injury.