British Tennis Forum - Celebrating 20 Years!

indiana · Tennis legend

Weeks 9&10 - WTA1000 - Indian Wells, USA Hard

Peter too · Tennis legend

Sonay's great strength is that nothing ever fazes her, whatever the state of the match she just keeps plugging away whether on match point up or match point down it seems to make not a jot of difference.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Peter too wrote:
How Sonay won that I will never know. She looked down and out after the 2nd set loss and looking as if she had mobility problems but just kept plugging away. Then twice in the third Navarro served for the match and each time Sonay pulled back. Sonay 6-1 3-6 7-6(2)

Yes. I watched nearly all of that match.

After the MTO, Sonay wasn't serving at 100%, she basically could do one of her serves fine but not the other one, and - as you say - wasn't moving great, and the physio was giving her lower back a massage at the changeovers

Emma had the crowd behind her and was playing a lot better than in the first set (which isn't saying much)

In terms of tennis it was pretty poor - very slow, basic and some awful errors from both

But in terms of contest it was mega - twice Sonay got broken at the end, once basically thanks to a truly horrible shot that - as you say, Peter - would have other players shrieking and tearing their hair out

But Sonay just kept on going. No real coaching that I could see. No theatricals. And Emma buckled. Shanked the ball. Horrible miss. And Sonay landed a beauty. And a couple of points later, there we are smile

Jan · Hall of fame

Great win for Sonay! I only caught part of the second set, when she was having the MTO.
What a fighter!!

wolf · Tennis legend

wolf wrote:
R2: Emma Raducanu (GBR) [25] WR24 defeated Anastasia Zakharova (***) WR86 by 6-1 6-3

****

R3: Emma Raducanu (GBR) [25] WR24 vs Amanda Anisimova (USA) [6] WR6

R2: Sonay Kartal (GBR) WR54 defeated Emma Navarro (USA) [20] WR25 by 6-1 3-6 7-6(2)

****

R3: Madison Keys (USA) [15] WR15 vs Sonay Kartal (GBR) WR54

Mervatron2 · ATP qualifying

Great to see Sonay come through that. She is a right battler.

Tanaqui · County player

Such an impressive performance from Sonay! As everyone has said, her real superpower is her grit and calm.

Var · Futures level

Great victory for Sonay which came with a physical cost. Doubts in her post match interview if she would be fit enough to face Madison in the next round. I think we can expect to see her on court but maybe retire if the injury flares up again. Would give time for her to recover before Miami.

Peter too · Tennis legend

According to TNNS there is a mens match on Stadium 2, then Osorio v Osaka and then Emma. The WTA site says play starts at 19.00 with the Osorio match not before 21.00.

indiana · Tennis legend

Peter too wrote:
According to TNNS there is a mens match on Stadium 2, then Osorio v Osaka and then Emma. The WTA site says play starts at 19.00 with the Osorio match not before 21.00.

The TNNS App says start of play 11 am local as usual, but 18.00 GMT since California has moved today to daylight saving. Then showing 20.00 GMT for the Osorio match. As you say, Emma to then follow.

-- Edited by indiana on Sunday 8th of March 2026 01:37:26 PM

Peter too · Tennis legend

Summary:-

R64: Emma Raducanu (GBR) [25] WR24 (CH=10) def Anastasia Zakharova (***) WR86 (CH=79) 6-1 6-3
R64: Sonay Kartal (GBR) WR54 (CH=44) def Emma Navarro (USA) [20] WR25 (CH=8) 6-1 3-6 7-6(2)

R32: Emma Raducanu (GBR) [25] WR24 (CH=10) v Amanda Anisimova (USA) [6] WR6 (CH=3)
R32: Sonay Kartal (GBR) WR54 (CH=44) v Maddison Keys (USA) [15] WR15 (CH=5)

the addict · Tennis legend

The way that Anisimova is striking the ball today she would beat any other player. Devastaking striking.

B00thy · County player

If she wants to improve, Emma needs to learnt cope with such power so she can make deeper returns

Peter too · Tennis legend

Emma 1-6 1-6

Peter too · Tennis legend

Amanda's power made it hard for Emma to get a clean strike of the ball, once or twice she got into a rally and had better chances to control the play. I wondered if against such a powerful player Emma might have done better to go further back and get a clean stroke and then move in as she got into the rally.