Qualifier Chwalinska to Face Andreeva in French Open Women’s Final
8 verified1 unconfirmed1 contested
Qualifier Maja Chwalinska and eighth seed Mirra Andreeva will meet in the French Open women’s singles final after both won their semifinal matches in straight sets on Thursday. Chwalinska, ranked world number 114, defeated 25th seed Diana Shnaider 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 to become the first qualifier in history to reach the women’s final at Roland Garros. She dropped to the ground after the victory as the crowd chanted her name. Andreeva earlier beat Marta Kostyuk 6-1, 6-3 to reach her first Grand Slam final. The final is scheduled for Saturday, with both players seeking their first major title. Chwalinska’s run continues an unlikely surge after she had limited previous success at Grand Slam tournaments.
What’s verified
Maja Chwalinska, ranked world No. 114, reached the French Open women’s singles final as a qualifier.
She beat 25th seed Diana Shnaider 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 in the semifinal.
She is the first qualifier to reach the women’s singles final at Roland Garros.
Mirra Andreeva, the eighth seed, defeated Marta Kostyuk 6-1, 6-3 in the other semifinal.
Both Chwalinska and Andreeva are playing in their first Grand Slam final.
The final will be played on Saturday.
Shnaider had eliminated world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the previous round.
Chwalinska fell to the ground after her victory, and the crowd chanted her name.
Where accounts differ
Sources disagree on the number of prior Grand Slam main-draw wins for Maja Chwalinska. One account states she had won two matches at a Grand Slam before this tournament, while another states she had won only one main-draw match prior to the French Open, at Wimbledon in 2022.
Not yet confirmed
Single reports indicate that Chwalinska had considered quitting tennis due to depression, that she is projected to rise to 21st in the world rankings, and that she is guaranteed prize money of £1.2m (rising to £2.4m with victory). Another report notes there was no post-match handshake between Andreeva and Kostyuk, and that Kostyuk had a 17-match unbeaten run on clay before the semifinal. It is not confirmed from multiple sources whether Andreeva’s semifinal included a separate photo ceremony with children due to political tensions.
Key figures
Maja Chwalinska, Mirra Andreeva, Diana Shnaider, Marta Kostyuk, Aryna Sabalenka
Sources: BBC News, Sky Sports
