Taylor Townsend is feeling the grind of the tennis tour. While her doubles career is soaring, her singles campaign has yet to take flight. Balancing both is no joke. As she once put it, “Me trying to keep my s— together after 7 weeks on the road, 5 countries, 5 time zones.” It’s especially difficult if you’re not finding the results you want. The American tennis star faced another singles setback at the Indian Wells tournament falling in the second round of qualifiers to Varvara Lepchenko. Add in a delayed flight from Indian Wells to Miami, and it’s clear that the road hasn’t been easy. But she isn’t slowing down— The 28-year-old is back for the second leg of the Sunshine Double. And now, she meets Sonay Kartal in the second round of qualifiers. Let’s dive into this matchup.
Townsend vs. Kartal: Preview
Taylor Townsend’s doubles success has been undeniable. She won the Australian Open with Kateřina Siniaková, marking her second major title after their Wimbledon triumph last year. The duo is on a roll, winning the Dubai Open marking their first WTA 1000 title together. But while doubles has been smooth sailing, singles has been a different story. Townsend missed the main draw at the Australian Open and has struggled to qualify in Abu Dhabi, Qatar, and Dubai. However, she picked up a solid straight-sets win over Carson Branstine in the first round of Miami qualifiers.
Main draw at Miami (WTA 1000), where Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, and Jessica Pegula are the top four seeds. pic.twitter.com/L8qR1IgStg
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) March 16, 2025
Meanwhile, Sonay Kartal has been climbing the ranks at a rapid pace. She started 2024 at No. 252 and closed the year inside the top 100 at No. 85. The Brit made her Australian Open debut but bowed out in the first round, and she faced a similar fate in Abu Dhabi. But March changed everything. She made her WTA 1000 debut at Indian Wells as a lucky loser and took full advantage. Kartal defeated qualifier Varvara Lepchenko before pulling off a massive upset over 16th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia, earning her first top-20 win. She kept the momentum going, beating Polina Kudermetova in straight sets before running into Aryna Sabalenka in the fourth round. Now, she finds herself in the second round of Miami qualifiers after Jodie Burrage retired mid-match.
Townsend vs. Kartal: Head-to-Head
This will be their first-ever meeting on the main tour, so there’s no prior head-to-head history to rely on. But their contrasting styles make for an exciting clash.
Prediction: Sonay Kartal in Three Sets
Sonay Kartal is a baseline warrior. She loves to dictate with long rallies, breaking opponents down with her consistency. While her serve isn’t the biggest weapon, her return game is strong, and she’s excellent at absorbing and redirecting pace. If she keeps her shots deep, she could put Taylor Townsend on the defensive.
On the other side, the American doubles champion brings variety. Her lefty serve creates tricky angles, and she loves to mix things up with slices, drop shots, and net rushes. This could force the Brit to adjust quickly and make decisions on the fly. If Townsend executes her net game well, she could take control early.
But Kartal has been clutch in pressure moments. Her break-point conversion rate has been a key factor in her recent wins. If this match goes three sets, her 67% success rate in deciders gives her the edge over Townsend’s 42%. Expect a battle, but Kartal’s ability to grind out tough matches might be the difference.
Kartal in three sets—who do you think takes this one?
The post Miami Open 2025 : Taylor Townsend vs Sonya Kartal ; Preview, Head-to-Head, and Prediction appeared first on EssentiallySports.
