Britain’s Sonay Kartal was forced to retire with a lower back injury during her fourth-round match against Elena Rybakina at the Indian Wells Open on Wednesday.
The 24-year-old had already lost the opening set 6-4 and was trailing 4-3 in the second when she approached the net to shake hands with the world number three.
Persistent Back Problem Ends Breakthrough Run
Kartal had been managing the back issue throughout the tournament and required physiotherapy treatment between games during the match against Rybakina.
The injury worsened as the contest progressed, particularly after she was broken while stretching for a return late in the second set.
Speaking after the match, Kartal said the physical strain eventually made it impossible to continue.
“As athletes you are super in-tune with your body, and I've had it pretty much the whole event, so I kind of knew that I could keep pushing,” she told BBC Sport.
“But today it was unfortunately one match too many.”
Facing a top-three opponent while not fully fit also made the task significantly harder.
“[I played] a super-tough opponent, so you need to be at your best,” Kartal added. “I was far from that but still managed to make it competitive.”
Milestone Week for the British Player
Despite the early exit, the tournament marked a notable achievement for Kartal.
Ranked world number 54, she became the first British woman to reach the fourth round at Indian Wells twice. Her run to the last 16 represented one of the strongest results of her career at a WTA 1000 event.
Indian Wells is considered one of the most prestigious tournaments outside the four Grand Slams, often described as the unofficial “fifth major” due to its scale and player field.
Kartal’s performances during the week placed her among the final 16 players in a draw that included many of the top names on the WTA Tour.
Rybakina Moves Into the Quarter-Finals
With Kartal unable to continue, Elena Rybakina advanced to the quarter-final stage of the tournament.
The Kazakh player, currently ranked world number three, will face fifth seed Jessica Pegula in the next round.
Pegula secured her place in the quarter-finals after defeating Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic 6-3, 7-6 (7-5).
The victory was particularly significant for the American, as it marked her first win over Bencic in five career meetings.
Swiatek Continues Dominant Run in California
Elsewhere in the women’s draw, world number two Iga Swiatek produced one of the most decisive performances of the round.
The Polish player won 10 consecutive games during a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Czech 13th seed Karolina Muchova.
Swiatek, who is pursuing a third Indian Wells title, will next face ninth seed Elina Svitolina in the quarter-finals.
Svitolina advanced after her opponent, Katerina Siniakova, retired with injury while trailing 6-1, 1-1.
Key Numbers from the Round of 16
| Player | Result | Next Opponent |
|---|---|---|
| Elena Rybakina | Kartal retired (6-4, 4-3) | Jessica Pegula |
| Jessica Pegula | def. Belinda Bencic 6-3 7-6 | Elena Rybakina |
| Iga Swiatek | def. Karolina Muchova 6-2 6-0 | Elina Svitolina |
| Elina Svitolina | Siniakova retired | Iga Swiatek |
Quarter-Final Stage Begins in California
The women’s quarter-final matches at Indian Wells will now determine the final four players remaining in the tournament.
Rybakina’s meeting with Pegula and Swiatek’s clash with Svitolina headline the next stage of competition in California.
Kartal, meanwhile, will turn her attention to recovery after a tournament in which she competed through injury before being forced to stop.
Can Rybakina build on her progress and push toward the Indian Wells title?