Maja Chwalinska removed the defending champion from the draw to secure her place in the Singapore WTA 500 semifinals on Friday, September 25, 2026. The Pole defeated Belgium's Elise Mertens 6-2, 6-2 in one hour and 29 minutes, in a meeting between the fifth and fourth seeds.
The result carries two milestones for Chwalinska: her first victory over a Top 20 opponent and her second tour-level semifinal. Her previous appearance at that stage came during the run that ended with a runner-up finish at Roland Garros in June.
From 2-2 to control of the match
Chwalinska won seven consecutive games from 2-2, taking the first set and building a lead in the second. Mertens earned a break when her opponent served at 5-1, but the Pole closed out the match on return in the following game.
The official statistics help explain her control. Chwalinska converted five of her nine break points and saved three of the Belgian's four chances. She won 62 of the 104 points played, including 23 of 33 behind her first serve.
Building on a swift route through the draw
The quarterfinal win followed an equally efficient second-round performance. On Wednesday, Chwalinska needed 59 minutes to defeat Oleksandra Oliynykova 6-0, 6-1. She converted six of eight break points in that match and lost only 20 points.
Across those last two matches, she has therefore won four sets while conceding just five games. The sequence offers evidence of sustained form as she seeks consistency after her breakthrough run in Paris.
The official WTA video features highlights of the quarterfinal against Mertens on Singapore's indoor hard courts.
