Sonay Kartal defeated Madison Keys, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 to reach the fourth round of Indian Wells.
The Briton fought back from a set down to defeat the 2025 Australian Open champion.
Sonay Kartal is now Britain’s best WTA player… do you agree? 🤔
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Keys was impressed with Kartal’s efforts and praised the 24-year-old after the match.
Madison Keys was impressed by Sonay Kartal’s serve
During her post-match press conference, Keys highlighted three areas of Kartal’s game that impressed her.
“I think she honestly just played really well, served really well, and I thought she used her forehand to dictate and move the ball around really well,” she said.
“Felt like I played a really good first set, and then just kind of, the conditions changed a little bit, and I felt like I kind of lost my footing a little bit.
“Yeah, I mean, some good positives to take from that. I think that’s probably the first time in a while where I have had such a solid set, but yeah, I just think she played better today.
Madison Keys vs Sonay Kartal – Match stats
| Stats | Madison Keys | Sonay Kartal |
| Aces | 4 | 2 |
| Double faults | 2 | 2 |
| 1st Serve % | 68% | 72% |
| Win % on 1st Serve | 57% | 65% |
| Win % on 2nd Serve | 56% | 64% |
| Break points | 3/6 | 4/10 |
| Total points won | 82 | 96 |
“I feel like it got a little bit colder and started playing a little bit deader. I think she adapted a little bit better and started playing more heavy balls with her forehand. I think I was trying to still play as if we had the sun up.
“I mean, honestly, I think at the end, it’s hard when all of my service games are close and tight, and she’s holding at love or 15.”
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Keys was impressed with Kartal’s serve, forehand, and her ability to adapt in their Indian Wells clash.
The American went on to assess her Indian Wells campaign.
“I felt okay. It’s been a tough kind of couple weeks for me, trying to rehab and get ready as quickly as possible for here,” said Keys.
“Probably not the most perfect preparation that I would have wanted, but I felt like we did the best that we could.
“I mean, that’s definitely not why I lost today.”
Keys will now rest up ahead of the Miami Open, which begins next week.
Kartal, on the other hand, will prepare to take on Elena Rybakina in the last 16.
Sonay Kartal impresses at the WTA 1000 level again
This isn’t the first time Kartal has made headlines at a WTA 1000 event.
Last October, the Briton reached the quarterfinals of the China Open, defeating the fourth seed Mirra Andreeva in Beijing.
Sonay Kartal’s WTA 1000 record
| Tournament | Best performance | Win/Loss record | Win % |
| Qatar Open | 1R – 2025 | 0-1 | 0% |
| Dubai Tennis Championships | – | – | – |
| Indian Wells | 4R* – 2025/2026 | 6-1 | 86% |
| Miami Open | – | – | – |
| Madrid Open | 2R – 2025 | 1-1 | 50% |
| Italian Open | 2R – 2025 | 1-1 | 50% |
| Canadian Open | – | – | – |
| Cincinnati Open | 1R – 2025 | 0-1 | 0% |
| China Open | QF – 2025 | 4-1 | 80% |
| Wuhan Open | – | – | – |
If Kartal can upset Rybakina in California, she’ll qualify for her second WTA 1000 quarterfinal.
The Briton will enter the match as a big underdog, although Rybakina hasn’t exactly looked unbeatable this week.
Rybakina dropped a set to Hailey Baptiste in her opener, and won a tight two-setter against Marta Kostyuk in the third round.
If Kartal can play as well as she did against Keys, and Rybakina doesn’t raise her level, we could see an upset.
Only time will tell who will emerge victorious, but you certainly won’t want to miss any of the action.
Kartal and Rybakina will battle it out for a spot in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, March 11.
