Maja Chwalinska, who reached the French Open final as a qualifier, saw her Wimbledon hopes end in heartbreak during her first-round match. Holding a 6-2 5-2 lead against Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew, the 24-year-old was a single point away from victory. However, she fell awkwardly while chasing a forehand, injuring her right ankle.
Despite a medical timeout and heavy strapping, Chwalinska struggled to move freely and lost five consecutive games to surrender the second set. Her physical condition deteriorated further in the third set, with apparent back pain compounding her ankle issue, ultimately resulting in a 2-6 7-5 6-2 loss. Chwalinska expressed a desire to finish the match rather than retire on the grass courts.
Meanwhile, American fourth seed Jessica Pegula secured a 7-5 6-3 victory over Darja Vidmanova, successfully moving past the first round. Pegula, who suffered an early exit at Wimbledon last year, joked about her progress after acknowledging the pressure she felt following previous tournament disappointments. She is set to face Sara Sorribes Tormo in the next round.
