By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, June 6, 2026
Picture credit score: Tim Clayton/Getty
Fairy tales don’t at all times finish in heroic heights.
Drained qualifier Maja Chwalinska noticed her French Open fairy-tale run shattered by scene-stealing Mirra Andreeva.
Charging by 9 straight video games, the 19-year-old Andreeva despatched clay Cinderella Chwalinska packing in a dominant 6-3, 6-2 victory.
Nonetheless, the primary qualifier to succeed in the Roland Garros ladies’s ultimate in historical past go away Paris celebrating a career-changing rise.
Successful 9 matches through the French fortnight propels the 114th-ranked Pole to a brand new career-high rating of No. 21 in the WTA Live Rankings.
Leaving courtroom Chatrier with disappointment, Chwalinska can regarded again on her Paris journey with pleasure.
“Yeah, positively unforgettable three weeks for me,” Chwalinska stated. “Yeah, such a good time. I’ll by no means
overlook these three weeks, for positive.
“Positively very difficult one at present. Mirra was significantly better participant at present, and she or he deserved to win. However positively I’m happy with my effort. I clearly gave my all. Yeah, I feel I might be happy with myself.”
Contesting simply her third profession main most important draw, the Polish left-hander toppled Olympic gold-medal champion Zheng Qinwen and three seeds throughout a nine-match surge to her maiden main ultimate.
Alongside the best way, the gritty Chwalinska received legions of followers for her fearless play, masterful mixture of spins, daring drop shot use and sheer grit. Chwalinska, a who grew up taking part in with six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek, has grown into a preferred presence again house. A Polish journalist from Eurosport-Poland reported to TNT Sports activities Chwalinska’s semifinal victory over Diana Shnaider was extra broadly seen in Poland than Swiatek’s 4 French Open finals.
Reflecting on her exceptional run, Chwalinska stated she hopes it’ll gentle the best way for gamers toiling exterior the High 100 to maintain chasing the yellow ball and their main desires.
“I do know many, many nice gamers which might be ranked exterior high 100. You understand, it’s such a skinny line now,” Chwalinska stated. “I really feel like a variety of issues must click on.
“However yeah, for positive there are such a lot of nice gamers. Yeah, I want all of them one of the best. I hope that my story these final days had been inspiring for them. Yeah, I’ll see them within the, let’s say, high 50 now, yeah, so.”
Whereas the victory vaults her to a career-high No. 21, Chwalinska doesn’t qualify as a Wimbledon seed as a result of The Championships entry rating was based mostly on rankings from Monday, Could 18th when she was residing exterior the High 100.
Requested if she’s hoping for a Wimbledon wild card, the Pole replied “That will be the information of the century,” including Wimbledon is the one grass-court occasion she plans to play following a well-deserved trip.
“Properly, I imply, that will be information of a century, you understand. Actually, yeah, I don’t anticipate it,” Chwalinska stated. “However yeah, I imply, I’ll see. I’ll deal with it as a problem.
“It’s a brand new floor. I don’t have a lot time, however yeah, I’ll give my all, you understand, and we’ll see. However I’m excited. Grass is at all times a pleasant type of change…
“Even earlier than Roland Garros, I stated that I want trip after the match. So now it’s, like, three weeks that I’m type of, like, not ready, as a result of I wished to be right here, however I simply knew again in my head that I’m going for the holiday after French Open. Yeah, positively want a while to recharge, and I’m going to play solely Wimbledon this yr.”
For now, Chwalinska has a easy purpose: Get pleasure from a superb meal.
Nerves had been an urge for food suppressant throughout her thrill experience journey to the ultimate and whereas her crew carbo loaded with nightly pizza events, Chwalinska may barely eat.
Following the ultimate, Chwalinska stated she’s trying ahead to the straightforward pleasure of consuming dinner as a Grand Slam finalist.
“I used to be positively confused, however I used to be confused earlier than each single match, to be trustworthy,” Chwalinska stated. “I couldn’t eat for the final three weeks. Like, my coaches had been consuming pizza, and I used to be, like, No (smiling).
“So, yeah, I’m simply really excited to type of, you understand, end the match, and perhaps the enjoyment of consuming will come again.”
