Less than three weeks after claiming her first career victory over a Top 20 opponent, Maja Chwalinska has broken into the WTA Top 20 in the live rankings for the first time. The career milestone comes as the Pole reaches the round of 16 at a WTA 1000 tournament for the first time, adding another landmark to a breakthrough season in which she made a Grand Slam final as a qualifier.
Facing Marie Bouzkova in the second round of the Wuhan Open, Chwalinska struggled in the opening set, winning just one game. However, the 16th seed turned the match around emphatically, breaking her opponent six times across the final two sets to complete a 1-6 6-1 6-1 comeback victory.
The win has propelled Chwalinska into the Top 20 in the live rankings. Although her place in the official WTA rankings is not yet guaranteed, she is well positioned to achieve the milestone when the list is updated.
Chwalinska was ranked outside the Top 100 before her stunning run at the 2026 French Open. Her breakthrough year has gathered further momentum in recent weeks, with her first career win over a Top 20 opponent coming against No. 4 seed and defending champion Elise Mertens 6-2 6-2 in the quarterfinals of the Singapore Tennis Open.
In her next match at the Wuhan Open, the Polish star will face world No. 11 Iva Jovic in a first career meeting. Jovic booked her place in the last 16 with a 6-4 6-1 victory over Dayana Yastremska.
