Sonay Kartal will become the British number one when the WTA rankings are released on Monday

Britain's Sonay Kartal missed out on what would have been the biggest title of her career as she faded in a gripping Wuhan Open final against French Open runner-up Maja Chwalinska.

Kartal, 24, was bidding to lift the trophy in only her third event since returning from a six-month absence caused by a back injury.

But an extraordinary week in China seemed to catch up with Kartal as she ran out of steam - physically and mentally - in a 2-6 6-4 6-2 defeat.

Kartal was playing in just the 10th match of her impressive comeback and was attempting to become the first Briton to win a WTA 1,000 title since Johanna Konta in 2017.

Ranked 170th in the world at the start of the event, Kartal reached Sunday's final by seeing off a host of notable opponents, including current top-10 players and former major champions.

However, Poland's Chwalinska, who made a shock run to this year's Roland Garros final, dragged Kartal into a brutal battle and ultimately got the better of it.

Kartal dominated the first set and led by a break in the second before Chwalinska turned momentum in her favour.

Chwalinska, 25, felt a few nerves as she closed in on her first WTA 1,000 title, but took her third championship point when Kartal hammered a forehand long.

Despite losing the final, Kartal has enjoyed a transformational week which even she did not see coming.

On Monday, she will climb to 50th in the world rankings - just below her career high - and become the British number one for the first time. She also earned prize money of about £290,000.

Addressing her team before receiving the runners-up trophy, Kartal said: "It's not the result we wanted today, but those three people in my box are why I'm here, healthy and back to fitness.

"We've had an unbelievable week - not many people expected me to be here and bring the level I did."

Throwing herself into the "deep end" - as Kartal described going straight into WTA 1,000 tournaments after her long lay-off - has proved to be a sound decision.

The British number five was able to enter the Wuhan Open, one of the tournaments in the tier below the Grand Slams in terms of field strength and prestige, through a protected injury ranking.

Those are given to players who have been out for six months or more.

Kartal acknowledged even she has been taken by surprise by how well she has played so early in her comeback.

Her scalps included former Olympic champion Belinda Bencic, the 2024 Wimbledon runner-up Jasmine Paolini, and world number six Elina Svitolina.

She added 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko to the list in Saturday's semi-finals.

Ostapenko often took the racquet out of Kartal's hands with her explosive - and often erratic - brand of first-strike tennis, but Chwalinska was a different proposition.

Chwalinska is largely a counter-puncher who looks to draw mistakes from opponents, meaning Kartal quickly found herself in longer rallies than she did against Ostapenko.

Chwalinska has joined Karolina Muchova, Jessica Pegula, Aryna Sabalenka (2), Marta Kostyuk, Elina Svitolina, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff and Zheng Qinwen in winning WTA 1,000 titles in 2026

The Briton played confidently and consistently from the baseline in the first set, waiting for opportunities to inject pace into shots and land winners.

After the pair exchanged breaks inside the opening three games, Kartal took Chwalinska's serve again for a 3-1 lead and underlined her dominance by taking a third set point on her seventh break opportunity of the match.

Kartal asked for medical advice when Chwalinska went off court for a short break and her physical level came under severe scrutiny at the start of the second set.

Three break points were saved by Kartal in the opening game of set two, but she moved ahead at 2-0 before the Pole hit straight back.

Chwalinska grew in confidence and introduced more variety as she asked more questions of Kartal's body and mind.

Kartal had to face 13 break points in a gruelling set, losing serve three times as Chwalinska forced a decider.

Like Kartal, Chwalinska is a player who relishes a scrap and she carried the momentum going into the third set.

The left-hander used the combination of a drop shot followed by a lob to break Kartal's serve for a 3-2 lead and held her nerve from there.

It meant she clinched the most prestigious title of a career that has only really taken off this year, and her first at WTA Tour level.

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