Sonay Kartal Stuns Ostapenko To Reach Wuhan Open Final
Sonay Kartal continued her remarkable comeback by defeating former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in two tie-breaks to reach the Wuhan Open final on Saturday. The British number five won 7-6 (11-9), 7-6 (7-5) in a gripping semi-final, overcoming early deficits in both sets to secure the biggest final appearance of her career.
Kartal Holds Nerve In Two Tie-Breaks
Kartal trailed 4-1 in both sets but stayed composed as Ostapenko struggled to close out the opening set. The Briton saved three set points in each set before sealing victory after a tense contest.
Ostapenko struck 50 winners and nine aces, but Kartal’s consistency and mental resilience proved decisive against the 2017 French Open champion.
“That was probably one of the toughest matches I’ve ever played,” Kartal said. “Mentally, this is one of the best performances of my career.”
Remarkable Return From Injury
The 24-year-old is competing in only her third tournament since returning from a six-month absence caused by a back injury. She has built momentum in Wuhan with victories over Belinda Bencic, Jasmine Paolini and Elina Svitolina before overcoming Ostapenko.
Ranked 170th in the world, Kartal has become the lowest-ranked player to reach a WTA 1000 final since the format began in 1990. She is also the first British player to reach a final at this level since Johanna Konta in 2019.
Kartal Set For Rankings Rise
Kartal will face either six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek or French Open finalist Maja Chwalinska in Sunday’s final.
The run guarantees Kartal a return to the world’s top 50 and will make her Britain’s number one player when the next rankings are released on Monday. Having reached a career-high ranking of 44, she now has the opportunity to claim the biggest title of her career.
