History in Paris: Maja Chwalinska became the first qualifier to reach the French Open final

Poland’s Maja Chwalinska reacts after winning her semi-final match against Russia’s Diana Shnaider. (AP photo) Maja Chwalinska’s fairytale run at Roland Garros reached unprecedented heights on Thursday as the Polish player became the first qualifier to reach the French Open women’s singles final and only the second player in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam singles title after qualifying.The 24-year-old defeated Russia’s Diana Shnaider 7-6 (4), 6-4 to book a match with teenage sensation Mirra Andreeva, who had earlier beaten Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk 6-1, 6-3 to reach her first Grand Slam final.Chwalinska joined Emma Raducanu, who won the 2021 US Open, as the only Open Era players since 1968 to advance from qualifying to a major singles final.

Chwalinska’s dream run continues

Chwalinska, playing just her third Grand Slam main draw, sealed victory with a thunderous forehand winner before collapsing on the clay in disbelief.“Like a dream, honestly, I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t know what to say, I’m sorry,” she said during an interview in court. “Let me enjoy this moment for now.Her remarkable journey began in qualifying, needing three wins to enter the main draw. Since then, she has lost just one set in nine matches and defeated four top 50 players.The reward was huge. Chwalinska, who was ranked 114th before the tournament, could climb up to 14th place with the title. The financial reward is equally staggering – she has already secured €1.4 million, far exceeding the $864,030 she earned in her entire career before arriving in Paris.Shnaider pushed hard but a medical timeout in the second set disrupted her rhythm and Chwalinska broke serve in the ninth game before calmly serving out the match.“All credit to Maja. She played amazing,” Shnaider said. “He moves incredibly on the court, covers a lot.Andreev’s concentration is paying offStanding between Chwalinska and the historic title is 19-year-old Mirra Andreeva, who put in a dominant performance against Kostyukova.“I saw little hairs on the ball when I was throwing or playing shots,” Andreeva said. “I was really focused today.The eighth seed cruised through the opening set and withstood a brief fightback in the second to extend her love affair with Roland Garros, where she reached the semi-finals two years ago.The semi-final brought further tension due to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, with Kostyuk leaving the court without shaking hands and the players posing separately before the match.But attention now shifts to Saturday, where two unlikely finalists – a qualifier chasing history and a teenager chasing her first major crown – will battle it out for the Suzanne Lenglen Coupe in what promises to be an unforgettable finale.