Maja Chwalińska scored the biggest win of her WTA career at the 2026 Singapore Open on Friday, ousting defending champion Elise Mertens 6-2, 6-2 to reach the semifinals.
Maja Chwalińska Controls Singapore Head-to-Head with Elise Mertens
With the opening set level at 2-2, the No. 5 seed made her move, rattling off seven consecutive games behind a varied attack of slices and tricky drop shots. She converted 70% of her first-serve points, avoiding a single break point until the penultimate game.
Mertens, meanwhile, never found her rhythm. The No. 4 seed committed 40 unforced errors across the two frames after entering the quarterfinals without completing a full match. She received a first-round bye and a second-round walkover after Barbora Krejčíková's withdrawal.
The result gives Chwalińska her first top 20 victory and extends a breakout 2026 campaign that already includes a Roland Garros final appearance in June. Through her three matches in Singapore, she has dropped just 11 games.
"It's impossible to play great every single week, so it's just about consistency and work," Chwalińska said. "I worked hard and it's paying off now. I had some tough weeks so this one tastes pretty good."
Up next, she'll face No. 6 seed Leylah Fernandez for a spot in the final.
