# Sonay Kartal's Wuhan Open run sets British tennis future

> New British No 1 Sonay Kartal reaches Wuhan Open final after injury comeback.
- Title: Sonay Kartal's Wuhan Open run sets British tennis future
- Summary: New British No 1 Sonay Kartal reaches Wuhan Open final after injury comeback. Sonay Kartal, the new British No 1, advanced to the Wuhan Open final after a…
- Keywords: sonay kartal, wuhan open, british no 1, wta rankings, stress fracture, tennis, wuhan open final, sports, Sonay, Kartal's, Wuhan, Open
- Source: Sky Sports — https://skysports.com/tennis/news/12040/13600651/sonay-kartal-what-next-for-new-british-no-1-after-unbelievable-week-in-run-to-the-final-at-wuhan-open
- Author: Nigel Chiu
- Published: 2026-10-19T06:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: sonay kartal, wuhan open, british no 1, wta rankings, stress fracture, tennis, wuhan open final, sports
## Sonay Kartal reaches Wuhan Open final
Sonay Kartal advanced to the Wuhan Open final after an injury comeback.
## Kartal's injury comeback
Kartal returned from a six-month back injury to reach the Wuhan Open final.
## WTA rankings climb
Kartal is up to 50th on the WTA rankings after her Wuhan Open run.
## Wuhan Open final result
Kartal lost 2-6 6-4 6-2 to Maja Chwalinska in the Wuhan Open final.
## Kartal's tournament wins
Kartal defeated Tokyo Olympic champion Belinda Bencic, Jasmine Paolini, Elina Svitolina and Jelena Ostapenko in Wuhan.
## Kartal's injury history
Kartal retired from Indian Wells in March due to a stress fracture in her back.
## Kartal's ranking protection
Kartal used her protected ranking to enter tournaments over the next 12 months.
## Kartal's future plans
Kartal will withdraw from the Japan Open to recover before concluding her season in China, Hong Kong or India.
## Key takeaway

Sonay Kartal, the new British No 1, advanced to the Wuhan Open final after a comeback from a six-month back injury.