Wuhan Open 2026: Sonay Kartal into first WTA 1000 final with tough win over Jelena Ostapenko
• 3 minute read
Sonay Kartal is through to her first WTA 1000 final after producing a gutsy win over world No.34 Jelena Ostapenko in the semi-final of the Wuhan Open.
Kartal saved six set points to beat the former Roland Garros champion 7-6(9), 7-6(5) in two hours and 15 minutes.
The British star battled back from a break down in both sets to clinch the match in two nail-biting tie-breaks.
Kartal, 24, becomes only the second British player to reach a WTA 1000 final since the introduction of the format in 2009 after Johanna Konta (Miami 2017 and Rome 2019).
At world No.170, she is now the lowest-ranked player to reach the final of a WTA 1000 during that same span.
Her opponent in the final will be either six-time Grand Slam and 12-time WTA 1000 champion Iga Swiatek or Polish 16th seed Maja Chwalinska.
“That was one of the toughest matches I’ve ever played,” Kartal said. “I knew how she was going to play, and at times, she’s unplayable. I just had to ride that wave. I think this is one of the best performances mentally I’ve had in my career. I’m very proud of that one.”
This is only Kartal’s second tour-level event after six months away from the court with a back injury. Tomorrow, she will get the chance to play in the biggest match of her career and aim to win her second WTA title after the WTA 250 Monastir in 2024.
In Wuhan this week, she has already defeated Anhelina Kalinina, former Olympic gold medallist Belinda Bencic, two-time Grand Slam finalist Jasmine Paolini, fifth seed Elina Svitolina and Ostapenko.
“I was dreaming of playing this match when I was fully fit before the injury,” she added. “To come back in my third event and achieve this, regardless, it’s a huge milestone for me. I’m going to recover and enjoy every second of it tomorrow.”
The match was defined by Kartal’s resilience and tension from Ostapenko in the big moments.
The Latvian – who has beaten the likes of Jessica Pegula and Diana Shnaider in Wuhan – played lights-out tennis in the opening stages and clinched a double break and a 4-1 lead.
Ostapenko had two chances to serve out the set at 5-4 and 6-5, but Kartal showed brilliant composure in the pressure moments to keep asking questions of the nine-time WTA title-winner, forcing the pair to a tie-break.
Despite hitting 26 winners in the opening set, Ostapenko held back on her three set points, opening the door for Kartal.
The Brit played gutsy tennis throughout the tie-break. After an hour and 12 minutes and on her third set point, Kartal forced an error from her opponent to seal the set in stunning fashion.
Ostapenko left the court for a break after a disappointing end to the opening set and managed to mentally reset. Using her frustration as fuel, she came out swinging in the second and Kartal managed just one point in the first three games.
The 29-year-old led 4-1 again in the second before Kartal once again managed to battle her way back into the set.
After breaking back, Kartal then held her nerve to save three set points across two separate games with the Brit serving at 5-4 and 6-5 down to bring up another tie-break.
Kartal barely missed a shot in the defining moments of the tie-break, forcing Ostapenko to drag a backhand wide to set up two match points. On Kartal’s second attempt to close out the victory, Ostapenko hit her 38th unforced error of the match, clinching one of the best results of the Brit's career.
How to watch Sonay Kartal at the Wuhan Open
You can watch Kartal in the final of the Wuhan Open exclusively on Sky Sports Tennis and NOW TV.
