Sonay Kartal achieved a significant milestone in her career by defeating Jelena Ostapenko in straight sets to reach the final of the Wuhan Open on Saturday. The match was fiercely contested, with Kartal overcoming six set points to secure a 7-6 (9), 7-6 (5) victory against the former French Open champion. This marks Kartal’s return to the tour following an injury that kept her sidelined for six months.
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Now ranked No. 170 in the world, the 24-year-old is the lowest-ranked player to reach a WTA 1000 final since the format's inception in 2009. Her victory guarantees her a spot within the top 50 of the WTA rankings next week, enabling her to surpass Katie Boulter as the British No. 1.
“That was probably one of the toughest matches I’ve played in,” Kartal remarked. She noted Ostapenko’s formidable play, stating, “At times [Ostapenko] is unplayable and sometimes you have to ride that wave. Mentally, this is one of the best performances I’ve had.”
In the first set, Kartal overcame a double break deficit and saved two set points before winning a lengthy tie-break 11-9. She continued to showcase her resilience in the second set, recovering from another break and saving two more set points at 6-5, leading to a second tie-break which she also won to clinch the match.
This win adds to a remarkable streak for Kartal, including victories against notable players like Olympic champion Belinda Bencic, two-time Grand Slam finalist Jasmine Paolini, and world No. 6 Elina Svitolina.
Kartal's previous significant achievement was reaching the fourth round of Wimbledon last year. Her recent performances reflect her recovery, as she had shown promise by winning two matches in her return at the China Open this month.
In the other semi-final, Iga Swiatek faced a setback due to a left leg injury and was defeated by her Polish compatriot and childhood friend Maja Chwalinska with a score of 7-5, 6-1. Swiatek, a six-time Grand Slam champion, required a medical timeout while trailing 6-5 in the first set and struggled to maintain mobility while playing with a bandaged thigh.