What changed
Sonay Kartal beat world number 48 Anhelina Kalinina 7-5 6-3 in 91 minutes to reach the Wuhan Open’s second round. The world number 170, back after a six-month absence with a stress fracture in her back, will next face ninth seed Belinda Bencic.
Why it matters
This is Kartal’s first Wuhan win, and it strengthens the impression that her return is gathering pace. She had already reached the third round in Beijing earlier this month, but this result carries extra weight because Kalinina sits 122 places higher in the rankings.
Kartal served four aces and won 23 of 30 points behind her first serve. Even after Kalinina saved two match points, she closed out the match without needing a deciding set.
Bencic will provide a much sharper measure of where Kartal stands. The result will depend on how her back responds to another demanding match, something the tournament has not yet answered.
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