Wimbledon: Qualifier Sawangkaew stuns No. 20 seed Chwalinska for first Grand Slam win

London, June 29 (IANS) Qualifier Mananchaya Sawangkaew produced the first major upset of Wimbledon 2026 on Monday, fighting back from the brink of defeat to knock out 20th seed Maja Chwalinska 2-6, 7-5, 6-2 after the Polish star suffered a cruel injury while serving for the match.

The 23-year-old Thai player saved one match point and then completed a stunning comeback in two hours and 41 minutes. This victory marked her first win in a Grand Slam main draw and her first against a Top 30 opponent.

Chwalinska, the Roland Garros finalist playing her first grass-court match of the season, seemed poised for an easy win as she led 6-2, 5-2 and held a match point. However, she slipped behind the baseline while chasing a ball, which allowed Sawangkaew to finish the point with a volley winner.

Although the injury seemed minor at first, Chwalinska needed a medical timeout to treat her right leg. Sawangkaew took advantage of this and fought through two tense deuce games without facing another match point. She levelled the score at 5-5 and then took the second set as Chwalinska’s movement worsened.

Chwalinska broke early in the deciding set for a 2-0 lead, but she had trouble pushing off her injured right leg both on serve and return. Sawangkaew dominated the rest of the match, winning the final six games to secure one of the biggest wins of her career.

Ranked No. 164 in the world, Sawangkaew had already displayed her fighting spirit in qualifying. She saved three match points to defeat Oceane Dodin 5-7, 7-5, 6-1 and reach the main draw. The Thai player also bounced back from a six-month injury layoff after suffering a back injury at Roland Garros last year before making her Grand Slam main-draw debut at this year’s Australian Open.

This victory ended an eight-year drought for Thai women’s tennis at Wimbledon. Sawangkaew became the first player from Thailand to win a women’s singles match at the All England Club since Luksika Kumkhum reached the second round in 2018.

She is one of two Thai women in this year’s main draw, matching the country’s Open Era record. If her compatriot Lanlana Tararudee defeats Lilli Tagger in her opening match, it will be the first time that two Thai women have reached the second round of the same Grand Slam.

Before the injury, Chwalinska had looked strong in adjusting her clay-court game to grass. The Pole mixed sharp slices, delicate drop shots, and confident net play to take a commanding lead, saving three break points while holding for 5-2 in the second set.

–IANS

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