British tennis player Sonay Kartal is set to return to competitive action at next week’s Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Shenzhen after a six-month absence due to a back injury. The 24-year-old has been sidelined since March, following a stress fracture sustained during her run to the fourth round at Indian Wells. Her injury forced her to miss three major tournaments this year: the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open.

Kartal’s ranking has dropped significantly during her time away from the tour, falling from a career-high of 44 to 121 in the world. However, she will be able to use a protected ranking to enter tournaments as she resumes competition.

She will be part of the British squad alongside Katie Boulter, Harriet Dart, Jodie Burrage, and rising teenage player Mika Stojsavljevic. The team will face the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals scheduled for next Tuesday.

Reflecting on her return, Kartal expressed optimism about her condition, saying she feels mentally and physically ready to compete. “It’s going to be a great week,” she commented, highlighting her positive mindset going into the event.