Sonay Kartal converted five of nine break points in her Beijing return. The LTA’s October 1, 2026 report recorded a 6–2, 6–3 victory over qualifier Andrea Lazaro Garcia in one hour and 14 minutes.
The China Open was her first tour-level tournament since Indian Wells in March. She had already returned in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, losing to Marie Bouzkova in three sets; that team appearance preceded her return to the regular tour.
Lazaro Garcia’s fourth double fault ended the match with Kartal holding two match points. Five breaks across two sets sent the British player into round two.
Kartal had beaten Mirra Andreeva on her way to the Beijing quarterfinals in 2025. Her 2026 return opened with a tour win and a second-round meeting with No. 31 seed Wang Xinyu.
