Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Sonay Kartal will become the British number one when the WTA rankings are released on Monday
ByJonathan JurejkoBBC Sport tennis news reporter- Published20 minutes ago
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 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, Kartal will climb to 50th in the world rankings - just below her career high - and become the British number one for the first time.
