“I wanted to back up the run I had last year. I wanted to show that I am at this level now and I can consistently play.
“The last couple of months I have thrown myself on the scene. This year I made a conscious effort to only play the bigger matches. I am feeling much more confidence in my game.”
After getting the first break of serve in the sixth game of the opening set Kartal really got into her stride, hitting some impressive winners that her opponent struggled to cope with before breaking again at 5-2 up to take the first set.
It did not get any better for Tomova in the second set as Kartal won the first four games to asset her dominance.
Tomova managed to break Kartal’s serve in the fifth game but it only delayed the Briton’s march to an excellent win.
Next up for Kartal is a match against world number 15 Diana Shnaider or qualifier Diane Parry.
