It took all five sets to find a winner: Zachary Svajda defeated Poland's Kamil Majchrzak 2-6, 6-2, 6-7, 6-4, 6-3 on 2 July 2026 to advance to the third round of Wimbledon. For Majchrzak, who had arrived in London fresh from winning the grass-court title in 's-Hertogenbosch and was hoping to reach the round of 16 for the second consecutive year, it was a painful early exit.
Majchrzak sets the tone early
The first set belonged firmly to the Pole. Majchrzak broke Svajda's serve in the very opening game, extended his lead to 4-2 and closed out the set 6-2 without ever looking back. The numbers backed up his dominance: his first-serve percentage stood at 68 percent, and he gave the American virtually nothing on his own serve. Svajda looked inhibited throughout, struggling to find any rhythm in his return games and unable to match the aggression of the world No. 45.
The second set brought a complete turnaround. Svajda began reading Majchrzak's serve far more effectively, forced three breaks and took the set 6-2. Suddenly the match was wide open again — a classic back-and-forth battle on the lawns of the All England Club.
The tiebreak as the pivotal moment
The third set evolved into a tactical chess match. Majchrzak pushed for the decisive break at 2-2, earning three break points, but Svajda saved them all. With neither player able to break, a tiebreak was required. Majchrzak moved ahead 3-1, Svajda fought his way back — but from 5-5, the Pole won two consecutive points to claim the set 7-5 in the tiebreak. He now led two sets to one and appeared to be on course for the round of 16.
But Svajda refused to fold. Before the fourth set he took a medical timeout, regrouped — and returned a different player. He saved two break points, then converted his own third opportunity to claim the crucial break in the second game of the set. A 6-4 set win levelled the match and forced a deciding set.
Svajda shows nerves of steel in the deciding set
In the fifth set, Majchrzak came under pressure early. He dropped his serve at a key moment and could find no way back into the match thereafter. Svajda played with patience and discipline, keeping errors to a minimum before converting his match point with a cool head to seal a 6-3 victory. His 60 percent break point conversion rate across the entire match told the story of the win: when it mattered most, the American took his chances.
It was a victory that carried a deeper significance. Svajda, 23 years old and currently ranked 66th on the ATP Tour, lost his father Tom in October 2025 — the man who had introduced him to tennis from the age of two and had coached him throughout much of his career. Marching into the third round at the hallowed grass courts of Wimbledon adds a personal dimension to his run at this year's tournament.
For Kamil Majchrzak, the defeat is a bitter blow. Just weeks ago in 's-Hertogenbosch he had beaten three top-10 players on his way to the title — among them Daniil Medvedev and, notably, Alex de Minaur, who is precisely the opponent Svajda will now face in the next round. As only the third Polish player in the Open Era to win an ATP title, Majchrzak had arrived in London with high expectations. The dream of a second consecutive Wimbledon round of 16 has come to a premature end.
