Maja Chwalińska has reached the biggest final of her tennis career after defeating fellow Polish star Iga Świątek 7-5, 6-1 at the WTA 1000 Wuhan Open in China on Saturday, 17 October. The historic all-Polish semi-final took an unexpected turn when Świątek suffered a left-leg injury, requiring treatment before continuing the match.
The victory sends the 25-year-old Chwalińska into Sunday’s final against British player Sonay Kartal, guaranteeing Poland a representative in the championship match of one of the most prestigious tournaments on the women’s tennis calendar.
According to Reuters’ report from Wuhan, Świątek had led 5-3 in the opening set and held two set points before Chwalińska recovered to take a 6-5 advantage.
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Świątek then received treatment during a medical timeout, returning to the court with her left thigh bandaged. Her movement was visibly restricted during the remainder of the match.
Chwalińska went on to take the first set 7-5 and dominated the second 6-1 to secure the biggest WTA 1000 final appearance of her career.
A remarkable turnaround in the first set
The match had initially appeared to be moving in Świątek’s favour.
The six-time Grand Slam champion established a 5-3 lead in the opening set and had two opportunities to close it out. Chwalińska, however, saved both set points and began turning the contest around.
The momentum shifted decisively as Chwalińska moved ahead 6-5.
At that stage, Świątek required medical attention for a problem affecting her left leg. After treatment, she returned with her thigh bandaged, but struggled to move freely around the court.
Although she continued playing, her difficulties became increasingly evident as Chwalińska completed her recovery in the opening set and then won the second comfortably.
Reuters reported that Świątek received encouragement from her team as she continued the match rather than retiring. The two players shared a quiet handshake at the net afterwards.
The precise nature and severity of Świątek’s injury have not yet been established through an official medical diagnosis.
The result nevertheless represents a major breakthrough for Chwalińska, who secured victory over one of the most successful players of her generation.
Childhood friends meet on a historic stage
The semi-final carried particular significance because Świątek and Chwalińska have known each other since childhood.
Both were born in 2001, progressed through Poland’s junior tennis system and represented their country together in doubles.
According to the Women’s Tennis Association’s official match preview, they won European junior doubles titles at under-14 and under-16 level and reached the Australian Open girls’ doubles final in 2017.
Their last professional singles meeting before Wuhan came at an ITF tournament in Stockholm in 2016, when both were 15. Świątek won that encounter 6-2, 6-3.
They had not previously faced one another in a WTA Tour match.
Their Wuhan encounter was also historically significant for Polish tennis.
The WTA confirmed that it was the first all-Polish WTA Tour semi-final of the Open Era, which began in 1968.
Although Polish players had previously met in a final — notably when Magda Linette defeated Magdalena Fręch in Prague in 2024 — Saturday’s match represented another landmark for the country’s women’s tennis.
After her victory, Chwalińska expressed admiration for Świątek, describing the opportunity to face her as an honour.
Speaking after the match, she admitted:
“The fact that I actually won against her is actually crazy for me.”
The reaction reflected both the personal significance of defeating a childhood friend and the scale of Chwalińska’s achievement.
Chwalińska’s breakthrough season continues
Chwalińska’s appearance in the Wuhan final is the latest achievement in what has become a remarkable season.
Earlier in 2026, she reached the French Open final at Roland Garros, announcing herself as a serious contender at the highest level.
Her performances in Asia have since demonstrated that her technical and varied playing style can be effective on hard courts as well as clay.
The left-handed player combines changes of pace, accurate placement and a wide range of shots to disrupt opponents who rely heavily on power.
At Wuhan, Chwalińska defeated Mayar Sherif, Marie Bouzková, Iva Jovic and Maria Sakkari on her way to the semi-finals.
Her quarter-final victory against Sakkari was particularly demanding.
The Greek former world No. 3 recovered after losing the opening set 6-0, but Chwalińska eventually prevailed 6-0, 3-6, 7-5 after two hours and 35 minutes.
The WTA’s analysis of that quarter-final highlighted Chwalińska’s tactical variation, her ability to withstand pressure on serve and the effectiveness of her combinations of drop shots and lobs.
Before facing Świątek, Chwalińska was ranked world No. 22 and had already secured her first appearance inside the world’s top 20 in the rankings due to be published on Monday.
Reaching the final will reinforce that progress and provide another opportunity to claim a major international title.
Sonay Kartal awaits in Sunday’s Wuhan final
Chwalińska will face Britain’s Sonay Kartal in the championship match on Sunday, 18 October.
Kartal booked her place by defeating Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko 7-6(9), 7-6(5) in Saturday’s other semi-final.
The British player recovered from 4-1 deficits in both sets and saved six set points during the match.
According to the Lawn Tennis Association’s match report, Kartal won in two hours and 15 minutes.
Her progress has been particularly unexpected because she entered the tournament ranked world No. 170 following a prolonged absence caused by a back injury.
The 24-year-old returned to competition in September and has now reached her first WTA 1000 final.
Sunday’s contest will therefore bring together two players seeking their first title at this level.
For Chwalińska, victory would mark another extraordinary achievement in a season that has already transformed her position in international tennis.
For Kartal, it would complete one of the more unexpected tournament runs of the year.
What next for Świątek?
For Świątek, the immediate priority will be determining the extent of the leg problem that affected her performance.
Before Saturday, she had progressed through Wuhan without dropping a set, defeating Magdalena Fręch, Ashlyn Krueger and Ann Li.
Her quarter-final victory against Li also made her the only active player to reach the semi-finals at all ten current WTA 1000 tournaments.
However, her defeat to Chwalińska ends her hopes of reaching the Wuhan final and claiming another significant title before the season concludes.
The result could also affect her pursuit of a place at the season-ending WTA Finals, although her exact qualification position will depend on the remaining results and rankings calculations.
No confirmed timetable for her recovery has been announced.
For Polish tennis, meanwhile, the tournament has already produced a significant milestone.
Two Polish women reached the semi-finals of a major international tournament, and one will now compete for the Wuhan Open championship.
Regardless of Sunday’s result, Chwalińska’s performance provides further evidence of the growing depth of Polish women’s tennis beyond its most established star.
