Fairytale ends in defeat, but Chwalinska's Roland Garros story will never be forgotten
Maja Chwalinska lost the French Open final; but she won everything else.
Highlights
- Andreeva beats Chwalinska 6-3, 6-2 to win her first Grand Slam title
- Chwalinska reaches the final after winning nine straight matches from qualifying
- The Pole will rise from world No. 114 to a career-high No. 21
- Runner-up prize money of €1.4m nearly doubles her career earnings
- Wimbledon qualifying awaits after missing the main-draw cut-off
Maja Chwalinska's three weeks at Roland Garros ended on Saturday the way all fairytales eventually must - not quite with the ending she dreamed of, but with something that will change her life entirely.
The 24-year-old qualifier from Dąbrowa Gornicza lost the French Open women's singles final 6-3, 6-2 to eighth seed Mirra Andreeva, but left Court Philippe-Chatrier as a Grand Slam finalist, a soon-to-be top-25 player, and a millionaire.
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It was only Chwalinska's 20th match at WTA Tour level. It was also the first time in her career she had faced a top-10 player.
She began her campaign in the first round of qualifying on 18 May without a kit sponsor, with a Polish drinks company helping to cover her accommodation after she ran out of funds during an unexpectedly long stay in the French capital.
Nine wins later, she walked off the grandest clay court in the world to a standing ovation.
It's been 18 years of hard work, patience and perseverance. I had to go through so much to be in this position. Life is weird sometimes and you've just got to do your thing and believe it will click someday – and I'm happy that it did.
Andreeva too strong in straight sets
Andreeva was composed and clinical throughout, making it look straightforward against an opponent who, in truth, had run a long way. The Russian teenager, already an Olympic doubles silver medallist, claimed her first Grand Slam singles title with authority, giving little away and punishing Chwalinska's errors when they came.
Chris Evert, the seven-time French Open women's champion, told TNT Sports that Chwalinska's run to the final was "just as impressive as Andreeva winning her first Slam."
She added: "I think she ran out of steam a bit today, but she came out of nowhere. I loved watching her play – she was entertaining, versatile, and she created shots we haven't seen since the 1970s."
'An unforgettable three weeks'
Chwalinska was reflective but clearly at peace. "It is definitely an unforgettable three weeks for me. I'll never forget it," she said. On what comes next, she was characteristically grounded: "I'm definitely very grateful for this time, but it's in the past now. I just need to continue to stay present and give my all to be a better player every day."
The result means she climbs from 114th to 21st in the WTA rankings on Monday – a career-high by some distance. Her prize money of €1.4 million (around £1.21 million) is almost double what she had earned in her entire career before this fortnight.
Wimbledon wildcard question looms
The fairytale, however, faces an immediate test. Chwalinska was outside the top 100 at the cut-off date for Wimbledon main draw entries, meaning she will have to go through qualifying again at SW19 unless she is awarded a wildcard by the All England Club.
Wildcards are typically reserved for British players, high-profile names, or those with a strong record on grass.
France's Lois Boisson, who reached the French Open semi-finals last year as a 361st-ranked player, was not offered a wildcard and lost in the first round of qualifying at Wimbledon.
Chwalinska is pragmatic about her prospects. "I don't expect it, but I'll see. I will treat it as a challenge. It's a new surface. I don't have much time, but I'll give my all and we'll see. But I'm excited – grass is always a nice kind of change," she said.
I feel like I'm in a bubble, I don't know what's going on – I'm just very happy to be here.
Chwalinska's Roland Garros 2026 at a glance
Chwalinska entered as a qualifier ranked 114th in the world, winning three qualifying matches before defeating Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, 23rd seed Elise Mertens and 25th seed Diana Shnaider on her way to the final.
She is the first qualifier to reach a Roland Garros women's singles final, and only the second qualifier to reach a Grand Slam final in the Open Era, after Emma Raducanu at the 2021 US Open.
She also battled depression in 2021, taking four months away from the tour and returning outside the world's top 300.
The Roland Garros run marks the culmination of a nine-year journey that began at the 2017 Australian Open, where she reached the girls' doubles final alongside Iga Swiatek.
