Sonay Kartal produced the biggest win of her comeback on Thursday, thrashing 15th seed Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-0 to reach the quarterfinals of the Wuhan Open. The Sonay Kartal victory was stunning in its dominance – the 24-year-old Briton dropped just two games and won the final 11 games of the match.
It was the first meeting between the two players, and Kartal took control of the rallies almost from the start. Paolini, a two-time Grand Slam finalist, struggled to find answers as Kartal’s consistency and depth from the baseline kept the Italian on the back foot. The Briton struck the ball cleanly from both wings, and her return game gave Paolini no rhythm on serve.
Sonay Kartal’s Remarkable Comeback Week
The Sonay Kartal comeback story has been building all week in Wuhan. Ranked around No. 170 after six months out with a back injury, she opened with a win over Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina, then upset world No. 12 Belinda Bencic 6-0, 7-5 in the second round.
Beating Paolini added a third impressive result and confirmed Kartal is playing well above her current ranking, which dropped sharply during her time away from the tour. The run has put her on the verge of a swift return to the top 100. Her ranking had fallen sharply during the layoff, making this week one of the most significant of her career. She has looked stronger with every match this week.
The Sonay Kartal surge equals her best performance at a WTA 1000 event, the top level of the women’s tour. Kartal also reached the last eight in Beijing last year, and Thursday’s win took her into her first Wuhan quarterfinal. Her best results have come on hard courts, and this week has been her strongest run since returning from injury.
How Sonay Kartal Dismantled Paolini
After a brief early contest, the Sonay Kartal game plan took over. She won the first set 6-2 and then reeled off a long run of consecutive games to take the second set without dropping a game, sealing one of the most one-sided wins of the tournament.
Paolini, usually one of the fastest and most determined players on tour, produced an error-strewn performance and rarely had a chance to dictate play. The Italian had reached the quarterfinals in Wuhan in 2024 and the semifinals last year, making the scoreline even more surprising. Paolini’s usually reliable forehand broke down repeatedly, and she was unable to extend the rallies that have defined her game.
“From my side it was a pretty flawless performance,” Kartal said in her on-court interview. “So I’m very happy with that one.”
What’s Next for Sonay Kartal in Wuhan
The Sonay Kartal quarterfinal opponent will be fifth seed Elina Svitolina, who beat Chinese wild card Guo Hanyu 6-1, 6-4 to advance. The two have met twice before, with Svitolina winning both encounters, including a quarterfinal in Auckland back in January. Svitolina has been one of the most consistent performers on tour this season and will present a very different challenge.
Elsewhere in the draw, Diana Shnaider defeated sixth seed Karolina Muchova 7-5, 6-3, while surprise French Open runner-up Maja Chwalinska beat American Iva Jovic 6-4, 6-1 to reach the last eight.
The Wuhan Open has a history of producing surprise champions, and Kartal’s form makes her a genuine threat to add her name to that list. Nothing about this week suggests the Briton will be overawed by the occasion. Her draw has opened up nicely, and few remaining players will relish facing her in this form.
For Kartal, the bigger picture is the ranking surge. A deep run in Wuhan would accelerate her return toward the top 100 and validate a comeback that, just months ago, seemed a long way off. The Sonay Kartal resurgence is now one of the stories of the Asian swing. Her team has managed her comeback carefully, and the patience is now paying off on one of the tour’s biggest stages. If she maintains this level through the rest of the Asian swing, a seeded place at the season’s biggest remaining events could be within reach.