Chwalinska STUNS Swiatek! Kartal Awaits in Wuhan Final | Jodar vs Davidovich Fokina Shanghai Final Preview

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

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John Silk (0:04)

Okay, Iga misses the first serve here at 30 all. Big trouble, big trouble now.

Double fault from Iga Świątek. And that was a problem for her when she was serving at five all in the first set.

And got broken before Chwalinska served out that first set. And now we've got a match point for Maja Chwalinska as a result for placing the Wu Han final. Serves that wide forehand return. Iga on the forehand goes into the net. And Maja Chwalinska wins in Wu Han. Seven five six one over her compatriot and friend. They have a chat at the net. It seems possibly talking about the physical nature for that match for Iga, who was struggling a bit, particularly in that second set. But anyway, a friendly exchange between these two girls who've known each other for more than 10 years. It's Maja Chwalinska who makes it to the final in Wu Han playing Sonay Kartal, Kartal prevailing earlier today against Yelena Ostapenko in straight sets. How did Ostapenko lose that match? I don't know. Seemed to be in commanding positions in both sets and had set points as well in both sets, but somehow contriving to lose.

The first set was a crazy 70-minutes between those two today and saving two set points as Jose Morgado highlights here. But this was a crazy first set too, with Maja winning at 7-5 in an hour and a half.

But wow, Maja Chwalinska is into the final. We're going to preview that final shortly against Sonay Kartal. Momentarily, are we going to reflect on this match? And she got the early break, did Maja, to go up 3-2. But Iga broke back immediately. At this point, Iga looked like she was in control of the match, particularly as she broke again to get to 5-3. And at that point, Iga looked okay physically. She led 5-3, served for the first set, had two set points at 40-15. And I thought, well, that's dumb. Maja hung in there though, somehow, broke, then held, then broke again. And as I say, there was a double fault in that game at 5-5, and all that Iga was pretty costly on. We're gonna hear from Maja Chwalinska right now. She won six games in a row at the end of the first set and beginning of the second. Here we go. This is Maja talking. Ni hao. Ni hao. Saying hello, I think. I think that's hello, isn't it?

Yeah, this is Maja talking about the match. Very physical. I think we played for like an hour, an hour and a half. That first hour and a half, first set, indeed.

Maja Chwalińska (3:23)

Obviously, I think it was 100% today, so I wish her all the best, of course. Hope she'll be okay soon. Yeah, it's, you know, it's always tough to play against, I mean, fellow Polish player.

I mean, leading legends, she won everything, so it was a great honor for me to share the court with her today.

John Silk (3:47)

It was an honor to share the court, says Maja.

First time they've played each other in 10 years, today.

Here's some Chinese translation. All right, let's get into the final, which will see Maja Chwalinska take on Sonay Kartal. I'm going to try and get there head to head for you. I don't recall them ever playing, but of course, I could be wrong on that one.

Of course, the WTA website is not responding like I would like.

So let's get there head to head up. Of course, we'll also have a look at how each of these two players made the final.

Chwalinska coming through in straight sets over Iga Świątek today, and Sonay Kartal doing likewise against Osterpenko.

An unlikely final, but a final all the same to look forward to. It will be live on the channel tomorrow. Indeed, they haven't played before. I'm going to share you there head to head with you on the screen, but it is zero, as you can see. One of the more unlikely WTA 1000 finals, that is for sure. Kartal was just making Iga hit more and more balls today, and the physical nature of that encounter, I think, helped Maja. I even suggested it actually midway through that first set, but although I don't doubt Iga's health and her age, and also the fact that she's only ever retired three times in her career, suggests what a physical, incredible monster she is. But Maja is another level, making you hit more and more balls, and tricky balls indeed. Sonay Kartal in her semifinal today, I mean, was crazy. What we wanted, Swiatek versus Osterpenka, what we got, Kartal versus Chwalinska. Indeed, WTA Tour summed up, I'm just seeing a tweet there from someone.