Andreeva conquers Chwalinska 6-3, 6-2 to win French Open title

And then there were two, but certainly not the pair we expected. At nineteen years of age, Mira Andreeva had progressed to her first grand slam final. In 2024, she reached the penultimate round on the terre battue and last year the quarters.

The Russian phenom has had an outstanding season on the dirt, winning the WTA500 event in Linz, Austria (d. Potapova). In addition to claiming her second title of the season, she made the semis in Stuttgart (l. Rybakina), the final in Madrid (l. Kostyuk), and the quarters in Rome (l. Gauff). Andreeva, the 8th seed, dropped one set en route to the final while dispatching three seeded players: Marie Bouzkova, Sorana Cirstea, and Marta Kostyuk.

Maja Chwalinska, the twenty-four-year-old southpaw, won three matches in the qualifying tournament to reach her maiden grand slam final. Currently ranked #114, the Polish native traversed an arduous and astonishing road to the championship match.

© Alain JOCARD / AFP

She is the first qualifier to reach the Roland Garros final, the lowest-ranked player to reach the title match since her compatriot Iga Swiatek in 2020 (#54), and the third woman to make the final in their main-draw debut. In addition, she’s the third player to reach their first WTA-level final at a major, joining Emma Raducanu (2021 US Open) and Venus Williams (1997 US Open). Prior to this fortnight, her best result at a slam was in 2022 when she reached the second round at Wimbledon.

With each victory on the terre battue, her confidence grew. She eliminated former world #4 and Roland Garros quarterfinalist, Qinwen Zheng, in addition to three seeded players: Elise Mertens, Anna Kalinskaya, and fellow southpaw, Diana Shnaider. Though she, too, had only dropped one set across nine matches, Andreeva was her first career top-ten opponent.

With the roof open on Court Phillipe-Chatrier and wind gusts up to 31mph, Chwalinska served first and opened with a double fault. Though she struck four winners, including a stunning slice backhand drop shot, she faced three deuce points, three break points, and dropped serve.

Andreeva hit a fabulous forehand drop volley but gave back the break with three unforced errors. Chwalinska opened the third with her second double fault and with two forehand errors, dumped serve, while the 8th seed gave back the break with two double faults.

Chwalinska struck two consecutive winners and consolidated the break with a love hold, while Andreeva leveled at three with two consecutive winners, including an ace up the tee.
Chawlinska missed 3/6 first serves and, with two consecutive unforced errors, dumped serve. Andreeva, serving with new balls, hit three outstanding winners, including a crosscourt backhand volley to consolidate the break for 5-3. Chawlinska seemed depleted as she served to stay in the set. She gifted two unforced errors and conceded it when Andreeva crushed a cross-court backhand.

Andreeva served first in the second and, with depth and conviction, held easily to 15 while Chawlinska donated four additional unforced errors and dumped serve. Andreeva faced a triple break point following two backhand errors, yet held for 3-0 with two spectacular groundstroke winners.

Chawlinska made 3/4 first serves but dropped serve following three consecutive winners from her opponent. Andreeva, with pose and purpose, struck two additional winners, including a forehand swing volley to consolidate the break for 5-0.  

Chawlinska, serving to stay in the match, made 6/6 first serves and held to 30 with an extraordinary crosscourt backhand. Andreeva served for the match but succumbed to the pressure. Although she came within two points of the title, she dropped serve with two consecutive forehand errors.

Chawlinska down 2-5, opened with a netted forehand, faced triple match point, and conceded it when Andreeva pummeled a final backhand crosscourt. She is the youngest champion in the City of Lights since an eighteen-year-old Monica Seles triumphed in 1992. While savoring her first grand slam title, embracing the Coupe Suzanne-Lenglen, Andreeva looks to the lush lawns of Wimbledon as the next challenge in her burgeoning career.