Indian Wells: Britons Jacob Fearnley and Sonay Kartal pick up opening-round wins at BNP Paribas Open
Jacob Fearnley will face Taylor Fritz in the second round; Sonay Kartal won her first-round match while fellow Brit Francesca Jones lost; watch the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells live on Sky Sports Tennis, streaming service NOW and the app
Friday 6 March 2026 00:00, UK
Jacob Fearnley got his Indian Wells campaign off to a strong start with a straight-sets win over Damir Dzumhur at the BNP Paribas Open.
It was a comprehensive 6-3 6-3 victory for the Brit, and much needed after a string of first-round losses at at Challenger tournaments. It is his first main-draw win since October.
Fearnley will face 2021 Indian Wells champion Taylor Fritz in the second round in the first meeting between the two.
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Fellow Brit Sonay Kartal came through with a tough 6-4 6-4 win over Thailand's Lanlana Tararudee in the round of 128 in the women's draw.
She will face USA's Emma Navarro, who is the world No 20, in the second round.
"It's always tough playing a qualifier, they've already had two matches under their belt out here. Maybe not my finest performance today but these first rounds are about getting it done and finding a way to get over the line," Kartal said.
"Places like here kind of remind me of home with the conditions, the courts are a bit slower, it's windier. I grew up in Brighton, so it's one of the windiest places in the UK.
"I enjoy these courts, I enjoy these conditions, I enjoy the way my ball reacts off these courts. As players, you have favourite tournaments throughout the year and this is one I definitely look forward to."
There was a loss among the Britons as Francesca Jones suffered a 6-3 6-1 loss to home qualifier Kayla Day in the opening round.
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