British tennis player Sonay Kartal reached the Wuhan Open semi-finals on Friday 16 October, beating fifth seed Elina Svitolina 6–2, 2–6, 6–4 in China. The 24-year-old is ranked 170th in the world and is playing only her third tournament after six months out with a stress fracture in her back, according to the WTA.
As a result, Kartal became the third-lowest-ranked player to reach a WTA 1000 semi-final since the format began in 2009. She now faces Jelena Ostapenko on Saturday 17 October for a place in her first WTA 1000 final.
How Kartal Beat Svitolina
Kartal took the first set in just 33 minutes, PA reported. Svitolina, the world No. 6, hit back to take the second set, and the decider then went with serve for nine straight games.
Then, at 5–4, Kartal earned her first break point of the third set. It was also match point, and she took it to finish the contest in two hours and three minutes, the WTA said.
Svitolina struck 22 winners to Kartal’s 12, but she also made 33 unforced errors to Kartal’s 25, according to the Sunday Guardian. Svitolina also needed treatment on her right arm during the match.
Afterwards, Kartal admitted the finish tested her nerve. “I knew until the last point was played I was never safe,” she told PA.
A Sonay Kartal Wuhan Open Run Built on Upsets
Kartal entered the draw unseeded and has now beaten two seeds and a top-10 player in four matches. Here is the Sonay Kartal Wuhan Open run so far:
| Round | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|
| First round | Anhelina Kalinina | 7–5, 6–3 |
| Second round | [9] Belinda Bencic | 6–0, 7–5 |
| Third round | [15] Jasmine Paolini | 6–2, 6–0 |
| Quarter-final | [5] Elina Svitolina | 6–2, 2–6, 6–4 |
Against Bencic, she won the first set in 27 minutes and lost none of her 12 first-serve points, the LTA reported. She then won the last 11 games against Paolini in a 67-minute rout, the WTA said.
Before Friday, Kartal had lost both of her previous meetings with Svitolina. That includes a three-set defeat in the Auckland quarter-finals in January.
From a Back Fracture to the Last Four
Kartal’s season looked promising in March, when she beat Madison Keys and Emma Navarro to reach the fourth round at Indian Wells. However, she retired against Elena Rybakina in that match with a pars stress fracture in her lower back, according to the LTA.
The injury kept her out for about six months. As a result, she missed the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. “Missing three of the four Slams was incredibly tough,” she told the LTA.
She finally returned at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Shenzhen in September. Next, she won her first WTA match back at the China Open in Beijing before arriving in Wuhan.
Kartal told the WTA she felt ready in late August but chose to wait. “I think the biggest advice I received was don’t rush it,” she said.
Where the Sonay Kartal Wuhan Open Run Stands in the Record Books
According to the WTA, only two players have reached a WTA 1000 semi-final from a lower ranking since 2009:
- Sloane Stephens, ranked 934th, at Toronto in 2017
- Victoria Azarenka, ranked 186th, at Miami in 2018
- Sonay Kartal, ranked 170th, at Wuhan in 2026
In addition, she is the lowest-ranked Wuhan semi-finalist since the event began in 2014, Sky Sports reported. The BBC also reported that she is only the second British woman, after Johanna Konta, to reach a WTA 1000 semi-final.
Her ranking will soar too. Sky Sports said the run lifts her to about 87th in the live rankings, an 83-place jump. Her career high is 44th, which she reached in July 2025.
The money matters as well. A semi-final place is worth $197,000 and 390 ranking points, while the champion collects $665,000 and 1,000 points, according to the WTA. Read our WTA rankings explainer to see how those points work.
Sonay Kartal Wuhan Open Semi-Final: Kartal vs Ostapenko
The pair have split their two meetings, both in June 2025. Ostapenko won in Eastbourne, but Kartal beat her six days later in the first round at Wimbledon, where the Briton went on to reach the fourth round.
Ostapenko arrives in fine form. She saved three match points to beat second seed Jessica Pegula, the WTA reported, and then came from 2–5 down in the first set to beat Diana Shnaider 7–6, 6–1.
For Ostapenko, this is a 10th WTA 1000 semi-final, but she is still chasing her first title at this level. Meanwhile, the other semi-final is an all-Polish clash between Iga Świątek and Roland Garros runner-up Maja Chwalińska, who beat Maria Sakkari 6–0, 3–6, 7–5.
Who Is Sonay Kartal?
Kartal was born in Sidcup, south-east London, in October 2001 and is based in Brighton. She won her first WTA title in Monastir in September 2024.
Her breakthrough at Wimbledon in 2025 put her on the map for British fans. Now, she is one win from the biggest final of her career.
When Is the Semi-Final?
Kartal and Ostapenko are first on court on Saturday 17 October, with play expected from 5pm local time (10am BST and 10am WAT). However, fans should check the WTA order of play, as times can change.
If she wins, the final is on Sunday 18 October, not before 6.30pm local time (11.30am BST and WAT), the WTA said. Also read how Zheng Qinwen won the China Open as a wildcard earlier in the Asian swing.
Can Kartal go all the way in Wuhan? Tell us your prediction in the comments.
