--- title: "Svitolina exits WTA 1000 in Wuhan: defeat to 170th-ranked player amid arm injury" description: "Elina Svitolina lost to Briton Sonay Kartal (ranked 170th) in the quarterfinals of the WTA 1000 in Wuhan with a score of 2:6, 6:2, 4:6, ending her participation in the tournament. The match took place against the backdrop of a medical timeout taken by the Ukrainian due to right arm problems." date: 2026-10-16T08:20:26.117Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/svitolina-exits-wta-1000-wuhan-defeat tags: [elina-svitolina, sonay-kartal, wta-1000, wuhan, tennis, ukraine] author: "Andrey Kosynko" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Svitolina exits WTA 1000 in Wuhan: defeat to 170th-ranked player amid arm injury ![Elina Svitolina executing a powerful tennis shot during a professional match](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/16/svitolina-vyletela-iz-wta-1000-v-uhane-porazhenie-ot-kartal/svitolina-vyletela-iz-wta-1000-v-uhane-porazhenie-ot-kartal-1.webp) ## Key Points - Svitolina fell to Kartal in the Wuhan WTA 1000 quarterfinals: 2:6, 6:2, 4:6 (1 hour 59 minutes). - After the first set, the Ukrainian requested a medical timeout for a right arm issue. - This is Svitolina's second defeat in the 2026 season against a player outside the top 100; she had previously won 8 out of 9 such matches. - This was Svitolina's 12th WTA quarterfinal of 2026; her next stop is the WTA 500 in Ningbo. Elina Svitolina has concluded her run at the WTA 1000 tournament in Wuhan, falling in the quarterfinals to British tennis player Sonay Kartal, who was ranked 170th in the world at the time of the match. The final score was 2:6, 6:2, 4:6 in favor of the Briton, with a total match duration of 1 hour and 59 minutes. Consequently, the Ukrainian star failed to advance to the semifinals of the tournament in China, exiting the competition at the quarterfinal stage. ### First set and medical timeout The beginning of the match went to the Briton: Kartal won three consecutive games, including a break on Svitolina's serve, and closed out the first set at 6:2. The Ukrainian attempted to narrow the gap but was unable to turn the tide. Upon completing the set, Svitolina requested a medical timeout due to issues with her right arm, a notable moment in the match that seemingly affected its subsequent dynamics. ### Comeback in the second set After the break, the Ukrainian took the initiative. She immediately secured a break, led 2:0, and then won three more games in a row. Kartal managed to take only one game, but Svitolina confidently closed out the second set on her own serve to level the match. ### Deciding set and outcome The third set was a tightly contested battle: both players held their serves for a long time, bringing the score to 4:4. However, in the final stages of the set, Kartal managed to pull ahead and secure the match, clinching a spot in the Wuhan semifinals. ### Context of the 2026 season The defeat against Kartal marks Svitolina's second loss of the 2026 season against players ranked outside the top 100. Prior to this match, the Ukrainian had won eight out of nine such encounters. The only other opponent from outside the top 100 to beat Svitolina earlier in the season was Belgian Greet Minnen, who was ranked 217th at the time of their Billie Jean King Cup match. ### Head-to-head and future plans For Svitolina, this was her 12th WTA quarterfinal in 2026. Furthermore, the Ukrainian was unable to secure a third victory against Kartal in their head-to-head record: she had prevailed in their two previous meetings, including the quarterfinals of the Auckland tournament earlier this season. Next week, Svitolina is scheduled to compete in the WTA 500 tournament in Ningbo, China. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [На фоне травмы руки: Свитолина вылетела из турнира в Ухане](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/tennis/tli-travmi-ruki-svitolina-viletila-turniru-1792136232.html) - Source: Score 2:6, 6:2, 4:6, duration 1 hr 59 min, medical timeout for right arm, Kartal rank 170, 2026 season stats, 12th quarterfinal, next tournament WTA 500 in Ningbo. - [Свитолина снялась с четвертьфинала турнира WTA 500 в Бад-Гомбурге из-за травмы](https://ukranews.com/news/1159515-svitolina-snyalas-s-chetvertfinala-turnira-wta-500-v-bad-gomburge-iz-za-travmy) - Describes a separate event (Bad Homburg, right thigh injury) and neither confirms nor denies the facts of the Wuhan match; used only as context, not mixed with the main material. ## FAQ ### What was the score of Svitolina's loss to Kartal in Wuhan? The match ended 2:6, 6:2, 4:6 in favor of Sonay Kartal, lasting 1 hour and 59 minutes. ### Why did Svitolina take a medical timeout? After the first set, the Ukrainian took a medical timeout due to problems with her right arm. ### What was Kartal's ranking at the time? At the time of the match, Sonay Kartal was ranked 170th in the world. ### Where will Svitolina play next? Next week, the Ukrainian is scheduled to compete in the WTA 500 tournament in Ningbo, China.