Fifth seed Elina Svitolina has been eliminated from the Wuhan Open, falling 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 to the resurgent Briton Sonay Kartal in Friday’s quarterfinals.
Kartal missed more than six months with a stress fracture in her back, and since returning to the top level tour she has won six of her eight matches. She reached the quarterfinals by beating two-time Grand Slam finalist Jasmine Paolini, after earlier getting past ninth seed and Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Belinda Bencic in round two.
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Kartal sealed the victory by breaking Svitolina’s serve in the final game. Her career high ranking of No. 44 came in July last year, while Svitolina had exited at the quarterfinal stage of the China Open a week earlier, losing to eventual champion Zheng Qinwen.
Kartal now plays 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in the semifinals, after Ostapenko beat 11th seed Diana Shnaider 7-6(6), 6-1.
Seventh-seeded Iga Swiatek was due to take on American Ann Li later on Friday in her quarterfinal. Li had earlier upset top seed Aryna Sabalenka in the second round.
The winner of that match will meet either Maria Sakkari or Maja Chwalinska in the semifinals.
(With inputs from AP)
Published on Oct 16, 2026
