Maja Chwalinska goes from French Open fairytale to Wimbledon heartbreak
Maja Chwalinska's Wimbledon campaign ended in heartbreaking fashion after the Polish star squandered a set, a 5-2 lead and a match point before losing to Mananchaya Sawangkaew in the first round.
Maja Chwalinska's impressive Grand Slam momentum came to a painful halt on the opening day of Wimbledon 2026 as the Polish star let a winning position slip to lose 6-2, 5-7, 2-6 to Thailand's Mananchaya Sawangkaew in the women's singles first round on Monday, June 29.
Having enjoyed a breakthrough campaign at the French Open, Chwalinska looked destined to carry that form onto the grass courts of the All England Club. Instead, an untimely injury changed the complexion of the contest, allowing Sawangkaew to complete a stunning comeback and register the biggest win of her career.
Chwalinska was in complete control after cruising through the opening set and moving within a game of victory in the second. She even held a match point before her fortunes took a dramatic turn.
INJURY HALTS CHWALINSKA'S SERVE
While serving for the match, the Pole slipped and landed awkwardly during a rally, forcing a medical timeout. Although she resumed play, her movement was visibly hampered, making it difficult for her to defend the court or chase down shots with the same intensity.
Sensing the shift, Sawangkaew began extending the rallies and forcing Chwalinska into uncomfortable positions. The Thai qualifier grew in confidence as her opponent struggled physically, overturning the deficit to force a deciding set before dominating the third to seal a memorable victory.
MILESTONE FOR SAWANGKAEW, HEARTBREAK FOR CHWALINSKA
The victory marked a watershed moment for Sawangkaew, who claimed her first-ever Grand Slam main-draw win after battling back from a set down, a 2-5 deficit in the second set and saving a match point. She also secured her maiden victory over a top-30 opponent, underlining her composure in the biggest match of her career.
For Chwalinska, the defeat was particularly cruel given the form she had displayed over the past month. After emerging as one of the surprise performers at Roland Garros, she appeared poised for another deep run before injury derailed her campaign.
The emotional toll was evident as Chwalinska buried her face in a towel during a changeover while the momentum slipped away. What had begun as another potential Grand Slam success story instead ended in frustration, with the Pole left to rue both the missed opportunity and the unfortunate injury that robbed her of a place in the second round.
Maja Chwalinska's impressive Grand Slam momentum came to a painful halt on the opening day of Wimbledon 2026 as the Polish star let a winning position slip to lose 6-2, 5-7, 2-6 to Thailand's Mananchaya Sawangkaew in the women's singles first round on Monday, June 29.
Having enjoyed a breakthrough campaign at the French Open, Chwalinska looked destined to carry that form onto the grass courts of the All England Club. Instead, an untimely injury changed the complexion of the contest, allowing Sawangkaew to complete a stunning comeback and register the biggest win of her career.
Chwalinska was in complete control after cruising through the opening set and moving within a game of victory in the second. She even held a match point before her fortunes took a dramatic turn.
INJURY HALTS CHWALINSKA'S SERVE
While serving for the match, the Pole slipped and landed awkwardly during a rally, forcing a medical timeout. Although she resumed play, her movement was visibly hampered, making it difficult for her to defend the court or chase down shots with the same intensity.
Sensing the shift, Sawangkaew began extending the rallies and forcing Chwalinska into uncomfortable positions. The Thai qualifier grew in confidence as her opponent struggled physically, overturning the deficit to force a deciding set before dominating the third to seal a memorable victory.
MILESTONE FOR SAWANGKAEW, HEARTBREAK FOR CHWALINSKA
The victory marked a watershed moment for Sawangkaew, who claimed her first-ever Grand Slam main-draw win after battling back from a set down, a 2-5 deficit in the second set and saving a match point. She also secured her maiden victory over a top-30 opponent, underlining her composure in the biggest match of her career.
For Chwalinska, the defeat was particularly cruel given the form she had displayed over the past month. After emerging as one of the surprise performers at Roland Garros, she appeared poised for another deep run before injury derailed her campaign.
The emotional toll was evident as Chwalinska buried her face in a towel during a changeover while the momentum slipped away. What had begun as another potential Grand Slam success story instead ended in frustration, with the Pole left to rue both the missed opportunity and the unfortunate injury that robbed her of a place in the second round.
