Chwalińska’s Remarkable Run at the French Open

Paris has become familiar with a Polish presence in the semifinals of the French Open, coining the nickname “Poland Garros.” Previously, this was due to Iga Świątek, a four-time champion who reached the semifinals five times between 2020 and 2025. However, in a twist this year, Świątek exited the tournament in the fourth round, losing to Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk. Świątek continues her quest to regain her dominating form on the women’s tour.

Despite being out of the spotlight, Poland found another representative in Maja Chwalińska. The world No. 114, in her first main draw appearance at Roland Garros, triumphed in her eighth consecutive match. She defeated No. 22 seed Anna Kalinskaya 7-6(3), 6-3, becoming the second Polish woman and second qualifier to reach the French Open semifinals in the Open Era, after Świątek.

The next day, Chwalińska won her ninth match by overcoming Diana Shnaider, who had recently defeated Aryna Sabalenka, with scores of 7-6(4), 6-4, advancing to the final. She is the lowest-ranked finalist at the French Open in the Open Era, changing her life remarkably beyond just sports.

Prior to this tournament, Chwalińska had earned $864,030 according to the WTA Tour. Her achievements at Roland Garros have already secured her $1,624,000 in prize money. In her post-match news conference following her victory over Kalinskaya, Chwalińska expressed her pride. “I’m just very proud that I stayed composed, and managed to win this set,” she stated. “Then the second set was just a battle. So I’m very happy, happy to win.”

Chwalińska’s ability to maintain composure stands out especially as she achieves this milestone in her tennis career. As a promising junior player in Poland, she reached the Australian Open girls’ doubles final in 2017, partnering with Świątek. Following this, their paths diverged. Chwalińska faced injuries, including knee surgery in 2022, and battled depression. She tends to play in WTA 125 tournaments, a tier below the main WTA Tour. Before her recent success, her sole Grand Slam victory was at Wimbledon four years ago following a break to address her mental health.

“I was struggling a lot. You know, I pushed at the beginning,” Chwalińska shared about her sabbatical. “But then I just couldn’t get out of bed anymore. I needed to take a break, and I honestly didn’t know if I was going to come back or not. I’m happy that I did.”

Despite facing higher stakes in Paris, the 24-year-old remains unfazed. She had not defeated any players ranked inside the top 50 as of late May, yet progressing through three qualifying rounds strengthened her belief in her abilities. On her way to the quarterfinals, she defeated players like Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen, No. 23 seed Elise Mertens, 2021 semifinalist Maria Sakkari, and Frenchwoman Diane Parry. Despite concerns about accommodation costs, the Polish company Oshee, which sponsors Świątek, supported her by providing sponsorship.

Chwalińska expressed confidence in the competitive level of qualifiers. “I think the level is very close, like, the qualifying is not much worse than the main draw,” she noted. “And the players in the qualifying, they are so good, as well.”

This French Open marks the first time Chwalińska has surpassed the second round of a Grand Slam. To avoid feeling overwhelmed, she limits her phone usage, allowing herself one celebratory post per victory before logging off.

Her anonymity has also worked to her advantage; she had only faced Sakkari before Paris, making her game difficult to anticipate. At 5 feet 5 inches, Chwalińska developed a distinctive style based on slices, spins, drop shots, and rhythm-disrupting plays.

“I’m aware that it can be very annoying for other players,” Chwalińska commented. “I just try to use it as much as I can.” Beyond tennis, she enjoys playing chess.

Her tactics proved effective against Kalinskaya on a windy afternoon and under the roof against Shnaider. Chwalińska’s gameplay involving varied shot selection enabled her to stay composed and achieve the biggest win of her career, consecutively.