Sonay Kartal vs Jelena Ostapenko Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA Wuhan Open

Prediction published on 16/10/2026, 14:59  by Daniel Ngulu | Modified on 16/10/2026 at 15:02 in Tennis Predictions

Sonay Kartal has qualified for the semi-finals in Wuhan where she will face Jelena Ostapenko for a place in the final. Their third career meeting is also the first on a hard court and our prediction has it yielding three sets.

Kartal is having an exciting return to the tour after a lengthy injury layoff and has now emerged as a strong candidate for this week’s title. The Brit has won six of the eight matches she has played since her return.

Her most recent was an upset against sixth seed Elina Svitolina. In three sets she beat the world No. 6 to reach the last four at a WTA 1000 event for the first time.

A winner of 18 matches so far this term, Kartal, who won the most recent meeting with Ostapenko, has catapulted back into the WTA top 100. An impressive 81 place jump, places her 89th in the live ranking.

Jelena Ostapenko has also enjoyed a double digit surge up the live ranking after qualifying for the semis. The Latvian, who has equalled her best-ever run in Wuhan, has shot up 10 places to 24th.

To set up this next showdown with Kartal, the 29-year-old outlasted 11th seed Diana Shnaider in straight sets. A three-time WTA 1000 finalist, Ostapenko is seeking her first title of the season and has compiled a 27-20 record, with 15 wins on hard courts.