Maja Chwalińska's 2026 Wimbledon run ended with a first-round upset, after an ankle injury on match point turned a commanding lead into a loss.
Maja Chwalińska Injury Reshapes the Match
The No. 20 seed controlled play against qualifier Mananchaya Sawangkaew early, leading 6-2, 5-2 after two sets. The Roland Garros finalist was just one point from advancing when she slipped on the grass behind the baseline, and Sawangkaew put away a volley winner.
Chwalińska's injury initially seemed minor, but after a medical timeout to tape her right leg, her movement faded steadily.
Sawangkaew fought off match point and battled back to 5-5, before taking the second set. Though Chwalińska built an early 2-0 lead in the decider, the final six games went entirely Sawangkaew's way.
"I fell, and I felt my ankle," Chwalińska said of her injury. "I wanted to continue, but I didn't feel comfortable moving."
Chwalińska, Sawangkaew Impact Live WTA Rankings at Wimbledon
Sawangkaew captured the 2-6, 7-5, 6-2 win in two hours and 41 minutes for her first Grand Slam main-draw victory and first win over a Top 30 opponent.
The result impacts the live WTA rankings in a big way, giving the No. 164-ranked Thai player, who returned from a six-month back injury earlier this year, a boost as she continues her Wimbledon run.
Chwalińska, meanwhile, will look to recover ahead of the upcoming hard-court season.
