WUHAN — The hard-court semifinals at the Dongfeng Voyah Wuhan Open will feature a landmark all-Polish contest between Iga Swiatek and Maja Chwalinska, while Britain’s Sonay Kartal continues her comeback against Jelena Ostapenko. Swiatek is the lone established WTA 1000 champion in the last four; Kartal, Chwalinska and Ostapenko are all chasing a first trophy at this level.
The match
Swiatek, a six-time Grand Slam winner and former world No. 1, has not dropped a set on her way through the draw. She defeated Magdalena Frech, Ashlyn Krueger and Ann Li in straight sets to set up the first all-Polish WTA Tour semifinal of the Open Era.
Across the net will be Chwalinska, ranked No. 22, whose rise gathered pace with her run to the Roland Garros final during the summer. She has carried that form into the Asian swing and is now through to her third tour semifinal, including her second in two months. Whatever happens in Wuhan, she will enter the Top 20 for the first time on Monday.
Chwalinska’s route has been more demanding. Her four victories included a ranking-best win over No. 10 seed Iva Jovic, before she outlasted Maria Sakkari 6-0, 3-6, 7-5 in Friday’s quarterfinal. She saved four of the five break points she faced and converted four of 15 chances against the Sakkari serve.
The Polish pair have known each other since their junior days. They reached the 2017 Australian Open girls’ doubles final together, and their only professional singles meeting came a year earlier in Stockholm, during just Swiatek’s second pro event. Both were 15 at the time, with Swiatek winning 6-2, 6-3.
“It feels as if I have known her all my life because we began travelling to tournaments together,” Chwalinska said before Swiatek’s quarterfinal was decided. “It would be amazing for both of us and for Polish tennis. It would be a privilege to face someone who has achieved so much in the sport.”
The other semifinal pits Kartal, the world No. 170, against Ostapenko. Kartal is playing only her third tournament since a six-month injury layoff, but has produced one of the week’s most striking runs. The 24-year-old upset ninth seed Belinda Bencic, 15th seed Jasmine Paolini and fifth seed Elina Svitolina to reach the first WTA 1000 semifinal of her career and only the second tour semifinal overall.
Her win over Svitolina was settled in the tightest possible fashion. At 5-4 in the deciding set, Kartal created her first break opportunity of that set on match point and clinched it when Svitolina sent a forehand long. It was Kartal’s second career victory over a Top 10 player. She is also 12-0 this season in matches where she has taken the opening set.
Kartal said the Wuhan conditions have suited her return. “These courts really help my game,” she said. “After being away for so long, I came here knowing how much I enjoy the setting, the atmosphere and the surface. I am playing with more belief than I had before the injury.”
Ostapenko arrives with formidable hitting statistics, having struck 138 winners across four matches, more than any other player in the field. The world No. 34 has returned to the Wuhan semifinals for the first time in nine years after three-set wins over Jessica Pegula and Leylah Fernandez, followed by a straight-sets victory against 11th seed Diana Shnaider.
Against Shnaider, Ostapenko saved two set points in the opening set and finished with 32 winners. She has reached three WTA 1000 finals in her career but is still seeking her first title in the category.
The next round
Kartal and Ostapenko have split their two previous meetings, both played on grass last year. Kartal believes Wuhan’s hard courts could offer a different test against Ostapenko’s power.
“She hits an enormous ball on grass,” Kartal said. “I hope this surface slows it down a little for me, but I know it will be a tough battle.”
Swiatek and Chwalinska will compete for a place in the Wuhan final, with their long junior partnership giving the WTA 1000 semifinal an added Polish dimension.
