The 16th seed recovered after losing the opening set and falling behind early in the second to secure her maiden WTA Tour title at the WTA 1000 tournament. The final lasted two hours and 43 minutes.
Kartal made the stronger start, using powerful forehands to put Chwalińska under pressure and take the first set 6-2. The British player then broke early in the second set to establish a 2-0 lead, moving closer to a major breakthrough of her own.
However, Chwalińska gradually found her rhythm, improved the depth of her groundstrokes and began drawing Kartal into longer rallies.
Chwalińska turns the match around
The Polish left-hander fought her way back into the second set, producing three breaks of serve to win it 6-4 and force a deciding set.
With momentum shifting in her favour, Chwalińska raised her level again in the third. After Kartal held the opening game, the Pole took control, winning five consecutive games and putting the final firmly within her grasp.
Kartal attempted to resist, but Chwalińska maintained her composure to close out the set 6-2 and complete an impressive turnaround.
The victory capped a breakthrough week for the 25-year-old, who had already beaten fellow Pole and former world number one Iga Świątek in the semi-finals.
A landmark achievement for Polish tennis
Chwalińska’s Wuhan triumph was her first WTA Tour title and made her only the third Polish player to win a WTA 1000 singles crown, following Agnieszka Radwańska and Świątek.
She also became the first left-handed player to win a WTA 1000 title since Petra Kvitová triumphed in Miami in 2023.
The victory is expected to lift Chwalińska from world number 22 to a career-high position around number 11 in the WTA rankings, reflecting the scale of her progress this season.
Her run in Wuhan included victories over several established opponents and confirmed that her performance in reaching the French Open final earlier in the year was no isolated achievement.
Kartal falls short after impressive run
Despite the defeat, Kartal can take considerable encouragement from her campaign in China.
The Briton entered the tournament ranked 170th after spending six months out with a back injury. Her run to the final represented a significant achievement following her return to competition.
Kartal defeated several highly ranked opponents on her way to the championship match, demonstrating that she could compete with leading players despite her ranking and recent time away from the tour.
Her performance in the opening set showed the quality that carried her to the final, but Chwalińska’s tactical adjustments and consistency ultimately proved decisive.
Kartal is projected to rise to around world number 50, a substantial improvement that should provide a strong platform for the remainder of her season.
Final result
• Wuhan Open women’s singles final: Maja Chwalińska (Poland) defeated Sonay Kartal (Great Britain) 2-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Chwalińska leaves Wuhan with her first WTA Tour title and a landmark WTA 1000 triumph, while Kartal’s run to the final marks an encouraging return after a lengthy injury absence.