WTA Tour
Sonay Kartal is the new British women’s No. 1. Her run to the Wuhan Open final lifted her 121 places to world No. 49 in the WTA rankings published on Monday 19 October, nine places above Katie Boulter. It is the first time she has led the British rankings.
A week ago Kartal was ranked No. 170, a month after returning from six months out with a back injury. She entered Wuhan on a protected ranking, beat three seeds, including a top-ten player, and reached her first WTA 1000 final, where Maja Chwalińska beat her 2-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Back From Six Months Out
Kartal’s season stopped at Indian Wells in March. She was playing the best tennis of her career there, with wins over Emma Navarro and Madison Keys, but retired in the fourth round against Elena Rybakina on 11 March with a lower back injury. It turned out to be a stress fracture, and it kept her out for about six months, through the clay season, the grass season, Wimbledon and the US Open.
She came back for Great Britain at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Shenzhen in September, losing a close match to Marie Bouzková, and then won two rounds at the China Open in Beijing. Wuhan was only her third event back.
The Wuhan Run
Kartal had a protected ranking of 56, which is how a player ranked No. 170 could enter a WTA 1000 main draw directly. She made the most of it:
| Round | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|
| First round | Anhelina Kalinina | 7-5, 6-3 |
| Second round | Belinda Bencic (9) | 6-0, 7-5 |
| Round of 16 | Jasmine Paolini (15) | 6-2, 6-0 |
| Quarter-final | Elina Svitolina (5) | 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 |
| Semi-final | Jelena Ostapenko | 7-6(9), 7-6(5) |
| Final | Maja Chwalińska (16) | Lost 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 |
She won the first set of the final and Chwalińska came back to take her first career title. Kartal still left Wuhan with 650 ranking points and two records. At No. 170 she was the lowest-ranked WTA 1000 finalist since the format began in 2009, and she is only the second British woman to reach a WTA 1000 final, after Johanna Konta. Our report on the final has the detail, and our story on her win over Svitolina covers the quarter-final.
The British Rankings
The top five British women in the WTA rankings of 19 October:
| British rank | Player | World ranking | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sonay Kartal | 49 | 1,097 |
| 2 | Katie Boulter | 58 | 1,042 |
| 3 | Francesca Jones | 99 | 752 |
| 4 | Emma Raducanu | 109 | 709 |
| 5 | Harriet Dart | 117 | 654 |
For the past three years the British No. 1 spot has passed between Boulter and Raducanu. Raducanu held it from July 2025 until August this year, but a stress fracture in her right lower leg ruled her out of Wimbledon and the US Open and she has not played since. Boulter took over on 24 August. She won her fourth WTA title in Ostrava in February, but has lost her opening match at Wimbledon, the US Open, Beijing and Wuhan.
Not a Career High Yet
Kartal’s best ranking is still No. 44, reached in July 2025 after she made the fourth round at Wimbledon. Her one WTA title came in Monastir in 2024. She was born in Sidcup, grew up in Brighton and turns 25 on 28 October. Her full record is on her player profile.
What Comes Next
Her next tournament has not been confirmed. The regular WTA season has two more weeks after this one: Tokyo and Guangzhou from 26 October, then Hong Kong, Chennai and Jiujiang from 2 November. The WTA Finals follow at Indian Wells from 8 to 15 November. Her next match page will list her next event once it is confirmed, and the full table is on our WTA rankings page.
FAQ
Sonay Kartal FAQs
Is Sonay Kartal the British No. 1?
Yes. In the WTA rankings of 19 October 2026 she is world No. 49, nine places above Katie Boulter, which makes her the British women’s No. 1 for the first time.
What is Sonay Kartal’s ranking?
She is world No. 49 on 1,097 points after climbing 121 places. Her career high is No. 44, reached in July 2025.
How did Sonay Kartal do at the Wuhan Open?
She reached the final as world No. 170, beating Bencic, Paolini, Svitolina and Ostapenko, and lost to Maja Chwalińska 2-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Why was Sonay Kartal ranked No. 170?
A stress fracture in her lower back kept her out for about six months from March 2026, so she missed Wimbledon and the US Open and her ranking fell. She returned in September on a protected ranking.
Who was British No. 1 before Sonay Kartal?
Katie Boulter, from 24 August 2026. Before that Emma Raducanu held the position from July 2025.
More Coverage
See Sonay Kartal’s profile, the latest WTA rankings and our Wuhan Open hub. For the season ahead, our WTA Finals hub covers the eight-player finale at Indian Wells, and every event is in the 2026 tennis calendar.