Wimbledon 2025 star Sonay Kartal faces baseless transgender rumors due to her muscular physique; however, she has been vocal about embracing her non-stereotypical body.
Sonay Kartal, a rising British tennis star, has been making headlines at Wimbledon 2025 for her incredible performance.
Kartal reached the fourth round of the tournament, her best-ever Grand Slam run, defeating tough opponents like Jelena Ostapenko and Diane Parry.
However, amid success, Kartal has faced unexpected attention surrounding the rumors about her muscular physique.
Sonay Kartal Embraces Non-Stereotypical Body, Finds Love For Fitness During Pandemic!
Kartal‘s muscular physique garnered attention, but not always for the right reasons. Some people on social media started rumors suggesting she might be transgender or male, claiming her strong build didn’t fit traditional ideas of femininity.
Some described her as “tough and stumpy” or accused her of being a man, with comments like, “She doesn’t match feminine stereotypes.”
These claims were baseless, and the speculation seems to stem from outdated stereotypes about how female athletes should look. Kartal, however, is proud of her strength and sees it as a key part of her success.
Her dedication to fitness, which she developed during the COVID-19 lockdown, has helped her compete against some of the world’s best players.
Above all, the tennis player has spoken proudly about her body transformation.
In an interview, she shared how she once disliked fitness but grew to love it, saying,
I wasn’t always strong. Yeah, I used to hate fitness back in the day… but it completely changed the way I viewed it. I absolutely loved it.
Sonay Kartal
Kartal has said she wants to inspire others, especially young girls, to feel confident in their strength. “A lot of girls are getting more comfortable with having more muscle on their body, which is incredible,” she told reporters.
She believes that everyone should embrace their unique physique, regardless of their size or shape, saying:
I don’t think anyone should feel like girls have to look a certain way, that’s changing in tennis as well. You look at the tennis players, everyone’s all different physiques and sizes and heights. So, it’s definitely getting more versatile, but, I mean, if I can inspire kids, whether that’s boys, girls, whatever, then I’m obviously doing something good.
Sonay Kartal
Kartal’s journey to Wimbledon’s fourth round has been inspiring. Born in Sidcup, London, and raised in Brighton, she started playing tennis at age six after watching her older brother.
Despite facing health challenges earlier in 2024 that left her in and out of the hospital, she made a remarkable comeback. She won her first WTA title in Monastir, Tunisia, and broke into the world’s top 100, reaching a career-high ranking of No. 49.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Sonay Kartal achieved her first Grand Slam breakthrough at Wimbledon 2025, where she advanced to the fourth round.
- Kartal won her first WTA title in Monastir, Tunisia, in 2024, after recovering from health setbacks.
