World number 83 Sonay Kartal will be up against 124th-ranked Varvara Lepchenko in the first round of the 2025 WTA Indian Wells Open which will be played on Thursday, March 6. Get all the Varvara Lepchenko v Sonay Kartal predictions, betting tips and odds for this encounter in the section below.
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Varvara Lepchenko v Sonay Kartal Head to Head
Lepchenko and Kartal have never faced off before this.
Lepchenko Shock Qualifier for Indian Wells
Before the start of this competition, Varvara Lepchenko had featured in four tournaments for the season and her record was rather underwhelming.
She failed at the final hurdle of the Australian Open qualifiers, was forced to retire from her opening round match in an ITF tournament after that, exited the second round in Cancun and failed to qualify for the Merida Open.
Which is why when Lepchenko entered the qualifiers of this tournament and was drawn to face Anca Todoni first up and then Taylor Townsend, she was a distant second-favourite according to the bookmakers.
In the first qualifier she was 8/5 to win and then 21/10 to get past the second. Lepchenko did both to qualify to the main draw of the Indian Wells Open for the first time since 2019.
- Get all the remaining WTA Indian Wells Open 2025 betting information here
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Kartal Makes it Through as a Lucky Loser
At the start of the 2024 season, Sonay Kartal was ranked 248th in the world. And then came a season in which she won six ITF titles to go with her maiden WTA tournament win in Monastir helping her break into the top 100 and finish 84th on the WTA charts.
That was a fantastic turn of events and the British player might have been hoping for an equally solid start to the 2025 season but so far it has been found a tad wanting.
Kartal kick-started the season straightaway at the Australian Open but lost in the first round. She opted to next play in Abu Dhabi where she won her qualifiers but fell to Katie Volynets in the opener and then failed to qualify for the main draw of the WTA Doha.
When she took to court for the qualifiers here, Kartal was a heavy favourite to come through – she was 2/5 to beat Marina Stakusic and 2/5 again to overcome Clervie Ngounoue. Kartal did the first but failed to get past her second opponent and has only made it through as a lucky loser following the withdrawal of Sloane Stephens.
Lepchenko v Kartal Predictions
Neither player looks to be in much form but Kartal’s youth seems to give her bit of an advantage. Does that amount to 2/5 favourite though which are the odds on offer? We don’t think so.
Lepchenko v Kartal Tips
- Games Handicap Lepchenko +5.5: 1/2
