Maja Chwalińska was a set and a break down in the Wuhan Open final on Sunday and still left with the trophy. The #16 seed from Poland beat Sonay Kartal 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 in 2 hours and 43 minutes for her first WTA title, and she won it at WTA 1000 level, capping a season in which she came through qualifying to reach the Roland Garros final in June.
Kartal controlled the opening set, taking it 6-2, and broke early in the second to put herself within reach of the biggest title of her career. Chwalińska, a left-hander, stayed with her. The second set reached 4-all, the moment that turned the match, and Chwalińska took the next two games to force a decider. Kartal had little left in the third. Chwalińska won its last four games and saved three break points while serving for the championship before closing it out.
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