Sonay Kartal saw her remarkable Wuhan Open campaign end in a 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 defeat against Maja Chwalinska. While the 24-year-old Briton missed out on the biggest title of her career, the tournament serves as a turning point for her professional journey. Following her performance in China, Kartal will rise to 50th in the global rankings when they are updated on Monday, officially marking her debut as the British number one. But an extraordinary week in China seemed to catch up with Kartal as she ran out of steam – physically and mentally – in a 2-6 6-4 6-2 defeat.
Entering the tournament ranked 170th in the world, Kartal was competing in only her third event since returning from a six-month layoff due to a back injury.
Despite the high intensity of her schedule, she navigated a path to the final by defeating several major champions and top-10 opponents, including former Olympic gold medalist Belinda Bencic, 2024 Wimbledon runner-up Jasmine Paolini, world number six Elina Svitolina, and 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko.
In the final, Kartal initially dictated play with confidence from the baseline, securing the first set by capitalizing on her break opportunities. However, the physical and mental demands of her comeback week eventually proved overwhelming. After the first set, Kartal requested medical advice while her opponent took a short break. The momentum shifted as the 25-year-old Polish player forced a second-set comeback.
Chwalinska, who previously reached the French Open final earlier this year, proved to be a difficult tactical opponent. Unlike the aggressive, first-strike tennis displayed by previous opponents like Ostapenko, Chwalinska utilized a counter-punching style that drew Kartal into longer, more taxing rallies. Kartal faced 13 break points during the second set alone, losing serve three times as the match moved into a decider. However, Poland’s Chwalinska, who made a shock run to this year’s Roland Garros final, dragged Kartal into a brutal battle and ultimately got the better of it. Ashe, McEnroe, Borg, King, Navratilova, Evert – the golden age of tennis.
The physical toll became increasingly apparent as Chwalinska introduced more variety into her game. A critical moment occurred when the left-hander executed a drop shot followed by a successful lob to secure a 3-2 lead in the final set. From that point, Chwalinska held her nerve, eventually converting her third championship point when Kartal hit a forehand wide to hand the Pole her first WTA Tour-level title. After the pair exchanged breaks inside the opening three games, Kartal took Chwalinska’s serve again for a 3-1 lead and underlined her dominance by taking a third set point on her seventh break opportunity of the match. But she moved ahead at 2-0 before the Pole hit straight back, three break points were saved by Kartal in the opening game of set two.
Reflecting on her performance before accepting the runners-up trophy, Kartal praised the team supporting her during her injury recovery. She noted that while the result was not what they wanted, the support in her box was the reason she managed to return to such a high level of fitness. She expressed surprise at her own level, acknowledging that few expected her to reach the final after throwing herself into the deep end of professional tennis so soon after her layoff. We’ve had an unbelievable week – not many people expected me to be here and bring the level I did. Throwing herself into the “deep end” – as Kartal described going straight into WTA 1,000 tournaments after her long lay-off – has proved to be a sound decision. Kartal acknowledged even she has been taken by surprise by how well she has played so early in her comeback.
Kartal entered the tournament through a protected injury ranking, typically reserved for players sidelined for at least six months. Her efforts this week have earned her approximately £290,000 in prize money. Despite the fatigue in the final, her ability to compete at this level highlights a successful return to form for the British player. One of the tournaments in the tier below the Grand Slams in terms of field strength and prestige, through a protected injury ranking, the British number five was able to enter the Wuhan Open.
With this victory, Chwalinska joins a distinguished list of 2026 WTA 1,000 winners, a group that includes Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, and Zheng Qinwen. The match served as a testament to both players’ resilience, with Kartal attempting to become the first British winner of a WTA 1,000 event since Johanna Konta in 2017.
