Kartal reaches Wuhan final as dream week continues

Britain's Sonay Kartal beats former French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko to reach the Wuhan Open final in only her third event after a six-month injury lay-off. Sonay Kartal is the first British player to reach a WTA 1,000 final since Johanna Konta in 2019 Sonay Kartal's dream week continued as she beat former Grand Slam champion Jelena Ostapenko at the Wuhan Open to reach the biggest final of her career. British number five Kartal is playing in only her third event since returning from a six-month absence with a back injury, but she now stands one more victory away from a WTA 1,000 title – one of the most prestigious prizes outside of the Grand Slams.

The 24-year-old's composure helped her secure a 7-6 (11-9) 7-6 (7-5) victory in a pulsating semi-final against Latvia's Ostapenko. Kartal trailed 4-1 in both sets but remained level-headed and took advantage when 34th-ranked Ostapenko stuttered in high-pressure moments. Remarkably, Kartal survived three set points in the first set, and three more set points in the second, to secure a victory which will long live in the memory. "That was probably one of the toughest matches I've ever played," said Kartal. "At times she is unplayable and you have to ride that wave. Mentally, this is one of the best performances of my career." The