Photo via BBC Sport

Inside British number one Kartal's remarkable comeback

Sonay Kartal’s journey back to the top of British tennis has been nothing short of extraordinary. Just six months ago, the 24-year-old was battling severe pain from a stress fracture in her back, spending weeks in bed where even simple tasks like brushing her teeth were agonizing.

Despite the setback, Kartal returned to competition less than a month ago and quickly made headlines by reaching the Wuhan Open final—her first WTA 1,000 final and the biggest of her career. En route, she defeated a mix of top-10 players and former Grand Slam champions, including the French Open runner-up Maja Chwalińska, before falling in a tight final.

The victory as runner-up earned her 650 ranking points, propelling her past her pre-injury ranking and into a position to challenge her career-high of 44th in the world, achieved earlier this year after her Wimbledon run to the last 16.

Kartal’s recovery has been aided by the WTA’s protected ranking rule, which allowed her to compete in Wuhan without losing ground. Having dropped to world No.

54 when her injury struck at Indian Wells in March, she now faces the 2027 season with renewed confidence and flexibility—no longer reliant on a protected ranking for major tournaments like the Australian Open. Her rapid resurgence, including two wins at the China Open in Beijing, underscores both her resilience and the effectiveness of the WTA’s system in supporting players through prolonged absences.

With her ranking climbing and momentum building, Kartal’s future in the sport looks brighter than ever.

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