Chwalinska beats Kartal in Wuhan final to claim first WTA title

Maja Chwalinska won her first WTA Tour title by defeating Sonay Kartal 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 in the Wuhan Open final on Sunday, October 18. The 25-year-old Pole recovered from a set and a break down to claim the WTA 1000 trophy after two hours and 43 minutes, according to the WTA's match report.

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Kartal initially controlled the match from the baseline, breaking three times in the opening set. BBC Sport reported that the Briton then moved 2-0 ahead in the second, putting herself within reach of the biggest title of her career. Chwalinska broke back immediately, however, and steadily increased the pressure as the rallies became more demanding.

The second set required Kartal to defend 13 break points, and she lost serve three times as Chwalinska forced a decider. The Pole then broke for 3-2 in the third. BBC Sport reported that Chwalinska eventually converted her third championship point when Kartal sent a forehand beyond the baseline, ending the Briton's challenge.

The victory placed Chwalinska in a small group of players whose first tour title came at WTA 1000 level. The WTA said she was the fourth to achieve that distinction since the format began in 2009, following Naomi Osaka, Bianca Andreescu and Victoria Mboko. She also became the third Polish winner of a WTA 1000 title, after Agnieszka Radwanska and Iga Swiatek.

For Kartal, the final capped a comeback week in only her third tournament after a six-month absence with a back injury. She entered Wuhan using a protected ranking and beat Belinda Bencic, Jasmine Paolini, Elina Svitolina and Jelena Ostapenko on her way to the final, according to BBC Sport. Sunday's contest was just the 10th match of her return.

Chwalinska, who also reached this year's French Open final, defeated Swiatek in the Wuhan semi-finals. The WTA projected that her title would lift her from 22nd to a career-best 11th in the rankings. Kartal was expected to rise from 170th to 50th, with BBC Sport reporting that she would become Britain's number one for the first time.