Kartal Faces Rybakina in Indian Wells Fourth Round After Stinging Keys Victory

Indian Wells, California – Sonay Kartal continues her impressive run at the BNP Paribas Open, securing a fourth-round clash against world No. 3 Elena Rybakina after a hard-fought victory over Madison Keys. The British No. 2 overcame the former Australian Open champion 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 in a match lasting just under two hours, marking her second appearance in the fourth round at Indian Wells.

Kartal Overcomes Early Setback

Madison Keys dominated the opening set, reeling off four consecutive games from 2-2 to take a commanding lead. However, Kartal demonstrated resilience, shifting the momentum in the second set and leveling the match. A key adjustment for Kartal was her improved performance on serve, winning 71% of points on her first serve in the second set compared to 60% in the opener.

Decisive Third Set and Back Injury Concerns

The deciding set remained tense until the seventh game, with neither player gaining a significant advantage on return. Kartal revealed she was battling discomfort with a back injury during the match, an issue that had previously required a medical timeout during her second-round encounter with Emma Navarro. Despite the physical challenge, she persevered to secure the victory.

Rybakina Awaits in the Fourth Round

This fourth-round meeting will be the first time Kartal has faced a two-time Grand Slam champion in her career. Rybakina advanced to the fourth round with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk. The Kazakhstani player recently won the Australian Open title, defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the final.

Other Notable Results

Elsewhere in the tournament, Katerina Siniakova upset defending champion Mirra Andreeva in a grueling three-set match, winning 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3. Iga Swiatek and Jessica Pegula also secured their places in the last 16, overcoming Maria Sakkari and Jelena Ostapenko respectively.

Kartal Prioritizes Recovery

Looking ahead, Kartal emphasized the importance of recovery before her match against Rybakina. “It [the back] was a pretty huge hindrance,” Kartal said. “I didn’t really practise yesterday so I gave it as much recovery as I could, so I think now it’s about getting recovered and doing the same exact thing to get back on the court in the next couple of days.”