Sonay Kartal seals incredible rankings rise as she opens up on an injury that left her in agony

British tennis player Sonay Kartal has advanced to her first WTA 1000 semifinal at the Wuhan Open, sealing a significant rise in the WTA rankings. Kartal overcame fifth seed Elina Svitolina 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 in the quarterfinals to claim her second career top-10 victory. Her tournament run also included notable victories against Anhelina Kalinina, Belinda Bencic, and Jasmine Paolini.

The successful tournament campaign follows a challenging six-month absence caused by a severe back injury that previously left her struggling to walk without pain. Kartal confirmed her back has fully recovered, noting that she learned patience during her rehabilitation. Her strong performance in Wuhan also guarantees her direct entry into the upcoming Australian Open.