Tennis-Chwalinska outwits Kartal to win Wuhan Open

French ​Open finalist Maja ​Chwalinska won her ‌first title ​on the WTA tour as she shook off early nerves ‌to beat Sonay Kartal 2-6 6-4 6-2 at the Wuhan Open final on Sunday. Left-hander Chwalinska deployed a ‌defensive right-handed lob to disrupt Kartal's flow and ‌outwitted the Briton with changes in direction and winners into the corners.

Briton Kartal, 170th in the WTA rankings ⁠and ​the lowest-ranked ⁠finalist in a WTA 1000 tournament, dominated the first set ⁠with powerful forehands as her Polish opponent's drop shots ​and slices kept landing wide. But 25-year-old Chwalinska, ⁠fresh off a win over childhood friend Iga Swiatek, fought ⁠back ​in the second set, dragging Kartal into long rallies and earning three breaks to ⁠force a decider.

Chwalinska, playing in her second final on ⁠tour, finished ⁠off the match by winning four games in a row.