French Open: Mirra Andreeva conquers Paris, becomes first Russian since Maria Sharapova to win Grand Slam

Mirra Andreeva of Russia celebrates after winning her women’s tennis final match against Poland’s Maja Chwalinska at the French Open in Paris, Saturday, June 6, 2026. (AP) Teenager Mirra Andreeva won her first Grand Slam title on Saturday, beating Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska 6-3, 6-2 in the French Open women’s singles final to become the first Russian to win a Grand Slam since Maria Sharapova won the tournament in 2014.The victory made the 19-year-old Andreeva the youngest player to win a women’s singles title at the French Open since Monica Seles, who was 18 when she won her third straight Roland Garros title in 1992.Ranked 114th in the world, Chwalinska was aiming to become the first qualifier to win a French Open title. However, Andreeva controlled the match and sealed the win with a backhand backhand winner for her first championship point before falling to her knees on the clay in celebration.The final came at the end of a tournament in which Andreeva continued a rise that began when she burst onto the scene as a 15-year-old at the 2023 Madrid Open. There, she became the third-youngest player to win a main draw at a WTA 1000 tournament and reach the quarterfinals.In recent years, Andreeva competed without the Russian flag and under neutral status due to the war in Ukraine. During the semifinals, she defeated Marta Kostyuk, who did not shake hands with her after the match, continuing the training that Ukrainian players have been using against Russian opponents since 2022.In winning the title, Andreeva also surpassed the feat of her coach, former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez, who finished second at the 2000 French Open. Former champion Mary Pierce, who defeated Martinez in that final, presented the trophy to Andreeva.The match was played under mostly sunny skies, although strong winds buffeted both players in the first Grand Slam final for each.Chwalinska got off to a nervous start, double-faulting the opening point of the match, but became the first player to hold serve when she took the fifth game. As the match progressed, however, Andreeva adapted better to the conditions and found answers to Chwalinska’s mix of spin, drop shots and variations.The tournament will end on Sunday when Alexander Zverev will face Flavio Cobolli in the men’s singles final.