Britain's Sonay Kartal had the biggest title of her career in sight, but Maja Chwalinska stormed back to snatch the Wuhan Open crown.
Sonay Kartal had the Wuhan Open trophy within reach. In the end, the biggest title of her career slipped through her fingers in a final that kept the crowd on edge.
The Briton built a strong position against Grand Slam runner-up Maja Chwalinska, and for long stretches it looked as if she was heading for a breakthrough win. But the momentum swung, and Kartal could not hold on to the advantage she had worked so hard to earn.
Chwalinska took full advantage. She stayed steady while the pressure mounted on the other side of the net, and she turned a tense contest around when it mattered most. It was the kind of composure that separates a near miss from a championship run.
For Kartal, the sting of losing from a commanding position will hurt. Still, reaching a final of this size is a real marker of her rise. The challenge now is to turn that experience into a trophy next time, because the quality she showed in Wuhan says the chance will come again.
