She became only the fourth player to win her first title at a WTA 1000 event since the format was introduced in 2009, joining Naomi Osaka at Indian Wells in 2018, Bianca Andreescu at Indian Wells in 2019 and Victoria Mboko at Montreal in 2025. on Monday.
She is also the first left-hander to win a WTA 1000 title since Petra Kvitova in Miami in 2023, the third Polish player to reach a WTA 1000 final after Agnieszka Radwanska and Iga Swiatek, and the first Pole to reach the final in Wuhan.
“I really enjoyed my time here,” he said at the award ceremony. “It was also my first time, and it certainly won’t be my last.” Chwalinska paid tribute to her opponent. “Congratulations Sonay on a great week. You are a very impressive player. I had a chance to watch some of your matches and was really impressed. I really wish you all the best and I’m sure great things are in store for you.
It was the first final in Wuhan between two players ranked outside the top 20 and the first time since 2021 that a player ranked outside the top 50 has reached a WTA 1000 final after defeating No. 54 Qinwen Zheng in Beijing last week.
From Roland Garros qualifier to WTA 1000 champion
Chwalinska started the year ranked 146th and arrived at Roland Garros outside the top 100 and without a sponsor. She qualified there, reaching the final, only the second qualifier to reach a Grand Slam final in the Open era, following Emma Radukanu at the 2021 US Open. He then reached the semi-finals in Singapore last month.
Before this season, he had won only four matches at the tour level. She now has 18 wins in 2026 and Wuhan was just her fourth WTA 1000 main draw. His previous best level was third round.
She defeated Mayar Sherif of Egypt 6-3, 6-2, Marie Buzkova of the Czech Republic 1-6, 6-1, 6-1 and American No. 10 Iva Jovic 6-4, 6-1, then reached her first WTA 1000 semi-final, beating Greece’s Maria Sakkari 6-0, 75-3. He then defeated fellow countryman, No. 7 Sviatek 7-5, 6-1 in the semifinals for the first top 10 win of his career.
Kartal’s record run is over
Kartal, ranked 170th, became the lowest-ranked WTA 1000 player since 2009, surpassing the previous record set by Svetlana Kuznetsova, ranked 153rd, as the 2019 Cincinnati runner-up. He was only the second injured during the Wuhan India tour.
She opened with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina, then beat No. 9 Belinda Bencic of Switzerland 6-0, 7-5, No. 15 Jasmine Paolini of Italy 6-2, 6-0, No. 5 Elina Svitolina of Ukraine 6-2, 6-2, 6-2. He defeated Swiss Elina Svitolina 6-2 and 6-2, 6-2. 7-6 (9), 7-6 (5). She became only the second player to beat five former WTA 1000 finalists en route to the WTA 1000 Finals, after Osaka in Montreal in 2025. She also became the second British woman to reach a WTA 1000 final, after Johanna Konta, and the first to reach the semi-finals in Wuhan.
Chwalinska takes home $665,000 and 1,000 ranking points from the Dongfeng Voyah Wuhan Open.
