Aryna Sabalenka breezes past Kartal, books 25th WTA 1000 quarterfinal
WTA
Aryna Sabalenka cruised to an easy win in the Indian Wells fourth round, staying on course after defeating Britain’s Sonay Kartal 6-1, 6-2. The World No. 1 surpassed her 2024 performance — where she was eliminated in the fourth round — and reached her 25th WTA 1000 quarterfinal.
The three-time Grand Slam champion had no trouble against the 23-year-old rising star Kartal, one of the tournament's biggest surprises after earning three consecutive victories in her first-ever WTA 1000 appearance, especially considering she entered the main draw as a lucky loser.
The match had a curious start, with Kartal (No. 83) securing an early break to lead 1-0. However, this was more due to Sabalenka's lack of focus at the beginning than any brilliance from the Brit. Sabalenka quickly took charge after the change of ends, imposing her power game and clearly outclassing her opponent.
It was Kartal's first time facing a top-10 player — let alone the WTA's top-ranked player — and the gap in level was evident. The Belarusian reeled off three consecutive breaks before taking the set, winning 58% of her service points and an impressive 64% on return.
Kartal showed flashes of her skills but only in isolated moments throughout the match. While Sabalenka had some service issues in the opening set — particularly when starting and closing — she was practically untouchable in the second, barely allowing Kartal to extend rallies beyond two or three shots when serving. A stunning 82% first-serve percentage, winning 78% of those points, made her nearly unbeatable for anyone on Tour.
Sabalenka broke early in the second set and moments later secured another break to build an almost insurmountable 5-1 lead. Kartal fought bravely until the end, holding her serve once more, but Sabalenka gave her no chances and sealed a comfortable 6-1, 6-2 victory in just one hour and 12 minutes.
Likewise, a great experience for Kartal, who climbs 20 spots in the rankings and secures her highest-ever position as World No. 63, which will make it easier for her to enter major tournaments without having to go through qualifying. Additionally, she becomes the British No. 3, just three spots behind Emma Raducanu.
In the quarterfinals, the 2023 Indian Wells finalist Sabalenka will face the winner between Jasmine Paolini and Liudmila Samsonova.
Match Statistics Sabalenka vs. Kartal
| Sabalenka | VS | Kartal |
|---|---|---|
| Service | ||
| 2 | Aces | 0 |
| 1 | Double Faults | 2 |
| 67% (31/46) | 1st Service Percentage | 70% (37/53) |
| 74% (23/31) | 1st Service Points Won | 46% (17/37) |
| 47% (7/15) | 2nd Service Points Won | 38% (6/16) |
| 50% (1/2) | Break Points Saved | 38% (3/8) |
| 88% (7/8) | Service Games | 29% (2/7) |
| Return | ||
| 54% (20/37) | 1st Return Points Won | 26% (8/31) |
| 63% (10/16) | 2nd Return Points Won | 53% (8/15) |
| - | Break Points Saved | - |
| Other | ||
| 1h 12m | Match Duration | 1h 12m |
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