Sonay Kartal has made a significant impact at the Wuhan Open, reaching the final after defeating Jelena Ostapenko in straight sets. The British tennis player secured a 7-6 (9), 7-6 (5) victory on Saturday, showcasing her resilience by overcoming deficits in both sets and saving six set points along the way.
This achievement marks a major milestone in Kartal’s career, especially following a six-month hiatus due to a back injury. Her return to the competitive tennis scene has been marked by a string of impressive victories against established players like Belinda Bencic, Jasmine Paolini, and Elina Svitolina. Ranked world No. 170 at the start of the tournament, Kartal’s performance has made her the lowest-ranked player to reach a WTA 1000 final since the format’s inception in 2009. Her success at the Wuhan Open will propel her into the world’s top 50 rankings, overtaking Katie Boulter as Britain’s new women’s singles No. 1.
Against Ostapenko, Kartal demonstrated remarkable mental toughness, recovering from significant deficits and winning two demanding tiebreaks. She described the match as one of the toughest of her career and credited her mental resilience for the victory.
Kartal had previously gained attention by reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon in 2025, but her progress was interrupted by injury. Her performances in China signal a promising return to form, establishing herself as a formidable player on the women’s tour.
In the other semi-final, Poland’s Maja Chwalińska defeated her compatriot Iga Świątek 7-5, 6-1. Świątek struggled with a left-thigh injury during the match, requiring a medical timeout and continuing with her leg bandaged.