Carol Lee upsets top seed, advances to Warsaw Open quarters

Saipan-born professional tennis player Carol Young Suh Lee continued her impressive run at the 2026 Warsaw Open in Poland, upsetting the tournament's top seed in the opening round before rallying to another victory to book a place in the quarterfinals.

 Lee defeated top-seeded Elsa Jacquemot of France, 6-4, 6-4, last Tuesday, Aug. 4, in the Round of 32 before overcoming Aliona Falei in three sets, 2-6, 6-3, 6-1, last Wednesday, Aug. 5, in the Round of 16 to advance to the final eight.

In a social media interview with Marianas Press, Lee said she was pleased with how she has handled the challenges presented by both matches.

“It feels great to move into the quarterfinals. I’m really happy with the way I have competed throughout the tournament so far. Each match has tested me in a different way, and I’m proud that I’ve stayed focused and continued fighting through the difficult times.”

Although Jacquemot entered the tournament as the No. 1 seed, Lee said she never doubted she had the ability to win.

“I wouldn’t say I was surprised because I believed I was capable of winning the match. At the same time, I knew Elsa was the top seed for a reason and that I would need to play at a very high level. I went onto the court with a plan and focused on being aggressive, trusting my shots and competing for every point.”

Lee added that she intentionally ignored the rankings once the match began.

“I was very focused and present throughout the match. I tried not to think about her ranking or the fact that she was the top seed. I was just grateful for the opportunity to play against a top seed and leave an impact on the court.”

Her second match proved to be an even sterner test after dropping the opening set to Falei.

“It was a very difficult match. Aliona is a strong competitor, and there were many challenging moments when I had to stay mentally tough. I had to keep adjusting, remain patient and accept that the momentum could change during the match. I’m proud of the way I handled the pressure and continued fighting until the end.”

Lee credited her resilience for turning the match around.

“I think the biggest difference was that I continued believing in myself, and pushed extra even when the match became difficult.”

Looking ahead to the quarterfinals, Lee said recovery and preparation are her priorities.

“The priority is to recover physically and mentally from today’s match. I’ll work with my team, review my next opponent and prepare for another battle.”

Statistically, Lee's victories were built on efficient serving and clutch play. Against Jacquemot, she fired five aces, won 71% of her first-serve points and converted four of eight break-point opportunities. She followed that by improving her second-serve effectiveness against Falei, winning 41% of those points while converting five of seven break points (71.4%) to complete the comeback.

Lee was scheduled to face Poland's Weronika Falkowska in the quarterfinals.

As of August 2026, the 24-year-old Saipan native is ranked No. 165 in the WTA singles rankings, continuing her climb on the professional tour.