10/18/2026 09:23:00
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10/18 09:21 CDT Maja Chwalinska clinches her first career title after beating
Sonay Kartal at the Wuhan Open
Maja Chwalinska clinches her first career title after beating Sonay Kartal at
the Wuhan Open
WUHAN, China (AP) --- French Open runner-up Maja Chwalinska of Poland clinched
the first title of her career in her breakthrough year, beating unseeded
British player Sonay Kartal 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 to win the Wuhan Open on Sunday.
In a grueling contest lasting 2 hours, 43 minutes, the 16th-seeded Chwalinska
gained the momentum when she broke for a 4-3 lead in the second set.
Kartal had more winners (32-23) but made more unforced errors (36-27), in a
match featuring no aces on Dongfeng Voyah center court.
Both players were appearing in their first career WTA 1000 final and
Chwalinska's victory will move her up to 11th in the rankings, the WTA said.
Chwalinska beat six-time major winner and Polish compatriot Iga Swiatek in the
semifinals and, along with 1,000 ranking points, earns $665,000 in prize money.
During her run to the French Open final as a qualifier, Chwalinska did not have
enough money to extend her hotel stay in Paris and needed some financial help.
Kartal, who beat 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in the semifinals,
will break into the Top 40 after entering the Wuhan tournament ranked No. 170.
It was a remarkable week for the 24-year-old Kartal, who missed more than six
months with a stress fracture in her back earlier this year.
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