Maja Chwalinska defeated Diana Shnaider, 7-6, 6-4, in the semi-finals of the French Open.
The Pole upset the higher-ranked Russian to book her place in the Roland Garros final, where she will meet Mirra Andreeva.
Who will win the French Open final – Mirra Andreeva or Maja Chwalinska?
The final nobody expected…
Gracious in defeat, Shnaider and her coach, Sascha Bajin, sent messages to Chwalinska after the match.
Diana Shnaider tells Maja Chwalinska she deserved to win their French Open semi-final
Shnaider shared the following message on Instagram.
“What an unbelievable two weeks at Roland Garros, making my first semis,” she said.
“So proud of the hard work and dedication we’ve put into this with Sascha Bajin.
“Big congrats to Maja Chwalinska on an incredible run and match today. Well-deserved win.”
Shnaider’s coach, Bajin, replied to her post.
“Aw, I’m not crying, you’re crying,” he said.
“Only good things to take from here and I promise you will get another chance at it.
“I’m so proud of you and what you achieved here.”
Bajin then posted his own message on Instagram.
“For now, my heart is a bit [broken],” he said.
“But I think we can leave with our heads held high, thanks to Diana and the skill, determination, and fight she showed over the last two weeks.
“I’m so, so proud of her, and we are heading into the right direction.
“I can’t wait to see what the grass season has in store for us.
“Also got to congratulate Maja and her team on an amazing performance in the semis.
“Thank you for all the kind messages I received and so much support.”
Shnaider and Bajin have plenty of positives to take from their French Open campaign.
The Russian qualified for her maiden Grand Slam semi-final and defeated a world number one for the first time in her professional career.
If she can carry that momentum through to the grass-court season, she will be a force to be reckoned with.
What’s on the line for Maja Chwalinska in the French Open final?
The big one is, of course, the French Open title!
Chwalinska could win her maiden Grand Slam title on Saturday, becoming the first qualifier since Emma Raducanu (2021 US Open) to win a major.
And if she does win the title, she will move into the world’s top 15.
Live WTA Rankings
| Rank | Name | Country | Points | Points after next win |
| 13 | Linda Noskova | Czechia | 3,054 | – |
| 14 | Jasmine Paolini | Italy | 2,617 | – |
| 15 | Naomi Osaka | Japan | 2,571 | – |
| 16 | Diana Shnaider | Russia | 2,506 | – |
| 17 | Ekaterina Alexandrova | Russia | 2,449 | – |
| 18 | Iva Jovic | USA | 2,366 | – |
| 19 | Sorana Cirstea | Romania | 2,317 | – |
| 20 | Anna Kalinskaya | Russia | 2,212 | – |
| 21 | Maja Chwalinska | Poland | 1,996 | 2,696 |
| 22 | Elise Mertens | Belgium | 1,918 | – |
| 23 | Leylah Fernandez | Canada | 1,844 | – |
| 24 | Clara Tauson | Denmark | 1,800 | – |
| 25 | Emma Navarro | USA | 1,779 | – |
| 26 | Madison Keys | USA | 1,772 | – |
Breaking into the top 15, it would be almost impossible for Wimbledon to deny her a wild card.
Due to the cut-off date, without a wild card, Chwalinska will be forced to play qualifying at the All England Club.
With several big names after wild cards this year, including Serena Williams, Venus Williams, and a whole host of British stars, Chwalinska may need to win the French Open to force Wimbledon’s hand.
And, if the Pole does win Roland Garros, her life will change away from the tennis courts, too.
Media appearances, sponsorship offers, and prize money: Chwalinska won’t have to worry about finances for some time.
That’s great news for a player who wasn’t sure she had the money to extend her hotel stay earlier this tournament.
It can’t be understated just how big this match is in the context of Chwalinska’s career.
The question now is, can she handle the pressure?
We won’t have to wait long to find out as Chwalinska prepares to take on Andreeva in the French Open women’s singles final on Saturday, June 6.
