How Maja Chwalinska went from qualifying defeat to French Open finalist in one year

Poland’s Maja Chwalinska (Photo AP) Paris: While Paris buzzes around her, Maja Chwalinska keeps things simple: tea, a show, maybe a little tennis and an early night. It’s a routine that took the surprise Roland Garros finalist from world No. 114 to No. 21 in the Live Rankings, and she sees no reason to change it now. On Saturday, the Pole takes on eighth seed Mirra Andreeva in the biggest match of her life, determined to stay inside the bubble that has served her so well in recent weeks.Chwalinska, 24, has the word “free” etched into her left hand. She declined to explain its meaning, but it may be related to her battle with depression, which forced her to retire from the game. “I feel like I’m in a bubble, I don’t know what’s going on,” she said after the semifinals. “I try to focus on every single match, give my all, and after the tournament there will be time to process it. Breathe in, breathe out.” A year ago, Chwalinska left Roland Garros after losing in the qualifying competition. Now the 5ft 5′ Pole is one match away from becoming the first qualifier in the Open era to win the title. A self-confessed tennis addict, she devours matches whenever she can, using them to study her opponents and deepen her understanding of the game. That knowledge is reflected in her own tennis, a left-handed mix of angles, variety and imagination that keeps opponents guessing and has become one of the stories of this tournament.“I’m a tennis freak, I love watching tennis. When I was younger, I watched tennis all day, every day. I feel like it helps me read the game better,” she said, adding that she’s grateful to have watched Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic growing up. “Sometimes I go back to these old games and watch them play. It feels like poetry.” The daughter of retired miner and receptionist Tomasz and Marcela Chwalinska, she wasn’t sure how she would pay for her stay in Paris as she progressed through the lottery. A sponsor came to the rescue. She still doesn’t have a clothing sponsor, but after a fortnight of her life, it’s hard to imagine that companies won’t be lining up to support her, whatever the outcome of Saturday’s final.”