Sonay Kartal’s impressive journey at Indian Wells shows no signs of slowing down, as the British player, who initially didn’t even make the cut, managed to defeat Polina Kudermetova and advance to the fourth round.
Initially checked out of her accommodation after falling short in the final qualifying round, Kartal, sitting at world number 83, seized a golden opportunity when Sloane Stephens withdrew, thus granting her a place in the main tournament.
With this unexpected turn of events, Kartal quickly relocated to a hotel and swiftly delivered her career-best performance in the third round. She continued her winning streak by defeating Russia’s Kudermetova 7-5, 6-3, marking her inaugural advance to the fourth round of a WTA 1,000 event.
“I originally booked an apartment just to cover the qualifications, so when things changed, I had to scramble for a place to stay,” Kartal explained. “I found myself without a place for about 12 hours, but it was a pretty good dilemma to have.”
Kartal’s next test is against none other than world number one Aryna Sabalenka, coming off a decisive 6-1, 6-2 win over Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti.
Regardless of how this high-stakes match turns out, 23-year-old Kartal is set to climb to a personal best in the rankings at the tournament’s conclusion.
This jump in ranking will make it easier for her to enter major tournaments beyond the Grand Slams directly.
