Tennis star Sonay Kartal reaches career-high ranking despite final defeat

British tennis player Sonay Kartal reached her first WTA 1000 final at the 2026 Wuhan Open in Wuhan, China, on October 17, 2026, where she faced Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko in the semifinals before advancing to the final. Despite losing the final, Kartal achieved a career-high WTA ranking as a result of her run in the tournament. The achievement also saw her become British tennis number one.