Polish seed Chwalinska exits Wimbledon after ankle injury

Polish tennis star Maja Chwalinska suffered a dramatic and painful first-round exit at Wimbledon on Monday, June 29, 2026, after injuring her right ankle while holding match point against Thai qualifier Mananchaya Sawangkaew. The 20th-seeded Chwalinska, who was a finalist at the French Open earlier this month, ultimately lost 2-6, 7-5, 6-2 on Court 12 at the All England Club.

Chwalinska dominated the early stages, winning the first set and building a 5-2 lead in the second. She held a match point at 40-30 on her opponent's serve when she slipped and fell awkwardly near the baseline chasing a forehand. The 24-year-old immediately called for a medical timeout and received treatment and strapping for her right ankle.

Despite attempting to continue, her movement deteriorated rapidly. Sawangkaew, ranked 164th and playing in her first Grand Slam main draw match, broke back to level the second set and then won five consecutive games to force a decider. Chwalinska left the court for further treatment between sets and managed an early break in the third, but she was visibly restricted, grimacing and stretching between points. Sawangkaew broke back easily and controlled the remainder of...