WUHAN, China (AP) — Fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina is out of the Wuhan Open after losing 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 to resurgent British player Sonay Kartal in the quarterfinals Friday.
The No. 170-ranked Kartal, who missed more than six months with a stress fracture in her back earlier this year, has won six of her eight matches since returning to the elite tour.
She beat two-time Grand Slam finalist Jasmine Paolini to reach the quarterfinals in Wuhan after defeating ninth-seeded Belinda Bencic, the Tokyo Olympics gold medalist, in the second round.
Kartal, who broke Svitolina's serve in the last game, reached a career-high No. 44 ranking in July of last year. Svitolina lost in the quarterfinals at the China Open last week to eventual champion Zheng Qinwen.
Kartal advanced to a semifinal against 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, who beat 11th-seeded Diana Shnaider 7-6 (6), 6-1.
Seventh-seeded Iga Swiatek beat American Ann Li 6-4, 6-1.
There was no upset for Li on this occasion after her surprise win against top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka in the second round, with six-time Grand Slam winner Swiatek sealing victory in 1 hour 33 minutes.
Swiatek faces Maja Chwalinska in the semifinals.
Chwalinska beat Maria Sakkari 6-0, 3-6, 7-5.
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The Associated Press