WUHAN, China (AP) — Maja Chwalinska, the French Open runner-up from Poland, secured her first career title by defeating unseeded British player Sonay Kartal 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 at the Wuhan Open on Sunday. The match lasted 2 hours and 43 minutes, with Chwalinska, the 16th seed, breaking for a 4-3 lead in the second set to shift the momentum in her favor.
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While Kartal had more winners, collecting 32 compared to Chwalinska's 23, she also recorded more unforced errors, with a total of 36 against Chwalinska's 27. Notably, the match featured no aces on the Dongfeng Voyah center court.
Both players were competing in their first career WTA 1000 final. Chwalinska's victory will elevate her to 11th in the WTA rankings. In the semifinals, she overcame six-time major champion Iga Swiatek. Along with 1,000 ranking points, Chwalinska will receive $665,000 in prize money. Earlier this year, while reaching the French Open final as a qualifier, she faced financial challenges regarding her hotel stay in Paris.
Kartal, who defeated 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in the semifinals, will enter the Top 40 after competing in the Wuhan tournament ranked No. 170. This marks an impressive comeback for the 24-year-old, who spent over six months recovering from a stress fracture in her back earlier this year.