Andre Agassi was a welcome addition to the punditry line-up for Roland Garros; it’s just a shame he wasn’t drafted in sooner.
His insight is second-to-none, and his analysis is fair and well-balanced, mixing both with caring and genuinely thoughtful demeanour.
That was perfectly exhibited recently, when speaking to the runner-up of the women’s event, Maja Chwalinska.
Discussing the impact she has already had on fans across the world, and particularly in her home country of Poland, the 24-year-old admitted she could not understand why she has commanded such interest.
Andre Agassi was keen to explain why.
Andre Agassi’s heartfelt advice for Maja Chwalinska
This conversation took place on TNT Sports’ desk, where Chwalinska discussed the support she has earned over the last two weeks.
She admitted: “I mean, it’s incredible. I honestly don’t know what I did to deserve it.
Maja Chwalinska must surely now be given a Wimbledon wildcard! 🍓
“But yeah, I’m just so grateful, you know. I feel like tennis and sports in general are more than just wins and losses, you know, it’s about the people and the stories behind them.
“So I feel like I’m just very grateful to share the passion for tennis and also, you know, I can see the emotions that my game brings in people, so, yeah, it’s definitely an incredible feeling.”
Agassi then chimed in: “Well, if you don’t know why you deserve it, let me help you understand that.
“You qualified and got to the finals of one of the toughest challenges in all of our sport. Don’t be distracted by those articles. Don’t be distracted by wins and losses. Keep making yourself better because you’re a gift to the sport.”
Can Maja Chwalinska continue her form on grass?
Following their quarter-final match, Anna Kalinskaya called for a rematch with Chwalinska, almost implying that she did not back the Polish player to translate her fine form from Roland Garros onto the grass.
However, there’s reason to believe that her assumption will be anything but the case.
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After all, especially on grass, the unpredictability and versatility of her game will arguably make her even more of a threat.
Her slices will stay lower, and her flat groundstrokes, when they come, will be faster. Not to mention the fact that her lobs will be even trickier to combat, whilst her drop shots will bounce even less.
All of Chwalinska’s best assets should, in theory, be heightened. It will be intriguing to watch her progress over the coming months.
