Chwalinska Stuns Injured Swiatek To Reach First WTA 1000 Final In Wuhan
Maja Chwalinska overcame compatriot and childhood friend Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-1 in an emotional all-Polish semi-final at the Wuhan Open to reach the first WTA 1000 final of her career.
Iga Swiatek's WTA finals hopes in doubt after injury-hit defeat to Chwalinska...
Polish 16th seed Maja Chwalinska stunned compatriot and childhood friend Iga Swiatek to reach the first WTA 1000 final of her career, handing the injured world No. 2 a 7-5, 6-1 defeat in the semi-finals of the Wuhan Open on Saturday.
Chwalinska will face world No. 170 Sonay Kartal in the final, after the Briton became the lowest-ranked player ever to reach a WTA 1000 final with a gritty 7-6(9), 7-6(5) victory over Jelena Ostapenko.
Swiatek, who needed to win the title in Wuhan to keep her slim hopes of qualifying for the year-end WTA Finals alive, battled a left thigh injury that hampered her movement against her crafty left-handed opponent.
Chwalinska, meanwhile, managed the mental challenge of the occasion impressively, hitting another milestone in a breakthrough season that saw her make a surprise run to the French Open final as a qualifier back in June.
“Obviously Iga wasn't 100 percent today, so I wish her all the best, of course,” said the 25-year-old Pole, who is contesting just her fourth WTA 1000 main draw.
“It's always tough to play against a fellow Polish player. She's a great champion, a living legend, she won everything. So it was a great honour for me to share the court with her today.
“I think I still don't really realise what's going on and the fact that I won against her is actually crazy for me.”
Momentum swung back and forth in the opening set before Swiatek stepped up to serve for it at 5-3.
The seventh seed failed to close it out though, squandering two set points before finding herself trailing Chwalinska 5-6.
Ahead of game 12, Swiatek took a medical timeout and was visibly in pain and in tears as she had her left thigh attended to.
Chwalinska then fended off break points to take the 80-minute opening set.
In a bizarre start to the second set, a tearful Swiatek was locked in an animated discussion with her strength and conditioning coach Maciej Ryszczuk on the sidelines while facing two break points.
FINALIST IN WUHAN!👏 Maja Chwalinska defeats Swiatek in the semifinal! #dongfengvoyahwuhanopen https://t.co/AymxaASOnD
— wta (@WTA) October 17, 2026
She received a time violation warning as a result and went on to drop a fifth consecutive game.
The six-time Grand Slam champion could do little to stop Chwalinska from there, with her compatriot wrapping up victory in two hours and eight minutes to set up a final showdown with Kartal.
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