Chwalinska rallies past Kartal for first WTA title in Wuhan

Maja Chwalinska won her first WTA Tour title Sunday, beating Sonay Kartal 2–6, 6–4, 6–2 in the Wuhan Open final on October 18.

The 16th seed recovered from a set and a break down before taking the deciding set. She won the final five games and saved three break points while serving for the championship, completing the match in 2 hours, 43 minutes, according to the WTA’s match report.

Chwalinska, 25, had reached the Roland Garros final earlier this season. She became the fourth player since the WTA 1000 format began in 2009 to collect her first tour title at that level, joining Naomi Osaka, Bianca Andreescu and Victoria Mboko.

The Pole had beaten Iga Swiatek in Saturday’s semifinal. Sunday’s victory made her the third Polish player to win a WTA 1000 title, following Agnieszka Radwanska and Swiatek. The WTA projected Chwalinska to rise from No. 22 to a career-high No. 11.