Not long ago, a back injury kept her off the tour for six months. This week, she is playing the best tennis of her career.
Sonay Kartal upset world No. 6 Elina Svitolina 6 to 2, 2 to 6, 6 to 4 on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, to reach the semifinals of the Wuhan Open.
How did Sonay Kartal beat Svitolina?
Kartal raced through the opening set. She broke the Ukrainian in the second game and broke again to close out the set in just 33 minutes.
Svitolina responded by taking the second set 6 to 2 to force a decider.
The third set turned into a tight battle, with few break point chances for either player. Kartal showed no signs of fatigue and matched Svitolina point for point. Every service game felt important as both players looked for an opening.
With Svitolina serving at 4 to 5, the Ukrainian sent a forehand wide to give Kartal her first match point. Kartal hit a strong return, and Svitolina’s backhand sailed beyond the baseline to end the match. Kartal converted her very first opportunity to close out the match.
Why is this a milestone for Sonay Kartal?
It is her first semifinal at a WTA 1000 event, one of the tour’s most prestigious tournament levels. WTA 1000 events sit just below the four Grand Slams in importance and feature the strongest fields outside the majors.
Kartal, who is 24, made her breakthrough last year by reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon. That Wimbledon run made her a fan favorite at home in Britain. The Briton entered the tournament ranked No. 170 after missing months of action.
Sonay Kartal said she knew she was never safe until the final point, despite winning the first set comfortably, because Svitolina is such a great fighter. She said she was proud of her determination and composure and described the week as breaking new ground.
How did Sonay Kartal return from injury?
Sonay Kartal missed six months with a back injury. Wuhan is only her third tournament since returning to the tour. Back injuries can be especially difficult for tennis players because of the twisting motion required on serves and groundstrokes.
Kartal won two matches in her comeback at the China Open in Beijing. In Wuhan, she has added wins over ninth seed Belinda Bencic, former Wimbledon finalist Jasmine Paolini and now Svitolina. Paolini reached the Wimbledon final in 2024 and has been one of the most consistent players on tour in recent seasons.
Her win over Bencic came in straight sets, 6 to 0, 7 to 5. That match came on Wednesday and set the tone for her week.
Who is Elina Svitolina?
Svitolina is one of the most experienced players on tour. The Ukrainian has reached the semifinals at multiple Grand Slam events and won an Olympic bronze medal in 2021.
She reached the quarterfinals in Wuhan as the No. 5 seed after beating Liudmila Samsonova in three sets in the second round.
She is married to French player Gael Monfils, who was recently listed as retired. Svitolina has been a fixture near the top of the rankings for much of the past decade.
Who will Sonay Kartal face next?
She will play for a spot in the final next. A win would send her to her first WTA 1000 final.
Several big names remain in the draw, including Iga Swiatek, who advanced to the quarterfinals earlier this week. Swiatek, a winner of six major titles, is chasing a spot in the WTA Finals.
Whatever happens next, Sonay Kartal has already turned a comeback into the best week of her career.
