Francesca Jones and Dan Evans make Tour semi-finals; Doubles duo runners-up in Houston; Sonay Kartal wins seventh ITF title
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Catch up on an exciting week of tennis action as British stars shine at events across the world.
Jones makes WTA breakthrough
Francesca Jones made her first career WTA semi-final last week as the 22-year-old Brit battled her way to the final four at the Copa Colsanitas.
Having recently returned from injury, Jones knocked out third seed Nuria Parrizas Diaz 7-6(3), 6-1 in the opening round, before cruising past Canada’s Carol Zhao. Jones went on to defeat sixth seed and world No.101 Laura Pigossi 6-4, 6-2 in the quarter-finals, but eventually bowed out to second seed Tatjana Maria 6-3, 6-4.
A career-best performance in Bogota has seen her rise over 400 places to world No.386 as she aims to return to the top 150.
Evans back to his best in Marrakech
British No.2 Dan Evans got back to winning ways at the Grand Prix Hassan II, reaching his first ATP semi-final of the season.
Evans was eventually beaten by Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 in the semis, after securing straight sets wins against Alexei Popyrin and Andrea Vavassori in the opening rounds.
Final for doubles duo in Houston; Choinski breaks new ground
Doubles duo Henry Patten and Julian Cash finished runners-up at the U.S Men’s Clay Court Championships in Houston.
Patten and Cash made their first final of 2023 after a nail-biting victory over Robert Galloway and Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela 6-7(6), 7-6(4), 10-5 in the semi-finals. However, the Brits just fell short of the title, despite winning the first set against Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson, losing out 4-6, 6-4, 10-5.
Jan Choinski has reached a new career-high ranking of world No.194 after reaching back-to-back ATP Challenger semi-finals for the first time.
Competing at the San Luis Potosi Challenger, Choinski knocked out fifth seed Facundo Mena, Joao Lucas Reis Da Silva and Thiago Agustin Tirante before a 6-3, 6-3 defeat to Dominik Koepfer.
Kartal wins seventh career title
21-year-old Sonay Kartal lifted a seventh career ITF title at the W25 Santa Margherita di Pula last week.
Kartal sealed the trophy with four consecutive three-set victories, including two comeback wins in the semi-final and final. The young Brit reached her first final of the season with a 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(3) win over world No.247 Miriam Bianca Bulgaru and eventually wrapped up the title thanks to a 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 victory against Ekaterina Makarova.
The result continues Kartal’s strong run of form this season, having already made the quarter-finals at two W60 ITF events and the semi-final of the W25 Glasgow.
There were also ITF semi-finals for Talia Neilson-Gatenby and Isabelle Lacy at the W15 Monastir and W15 Sharm El Sheikh. The two will now head to Roehampton for the 18U Junior National Championships at the National Tennis Centre.
