Jamaine Punzalan

Poland's Maja Chwalinska celebrates after winning against Russia's Diana Shnaider at the end of their women's semi final singles match on day 12 of the French Open tennis tournament on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the Roland-Garros Complex in Paris on June 4, 2026. Julien De Rosa, AFP

Article (news)

Agence France-Presse

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1780638527983AFP__20260604__B6269Y4__v1__MidRes__TennisFraOpen2026.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Poland&#x27;s Maja Chwalinska celebrates after winning against Russia&#x27;s Diana Shnaider at the end of their women&#x27;s semi final singles match on day 12 of the French Open tennis tournament on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the Roland-Garros Complex in Paris on June 4, 2026. Julien De Rosa, AFP </div>PARIS, France (UPDATED) -- Maja Chwalinska made French Open history on Thursday as the world number 114 became the first qualifier in the professional era to reach the Roland Garros final, where she will take on Mirra Andreeva.The Pole downed <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/6/4/tennis-sabalenka-crumbles-to-french-open-quarter-final-defeat-by-shnaider-0102">Diana Shnaider</a> 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 in the last four to join Russian 19-year-old Andreeva, a straight-sets winner over Marta Kostyuk, in Saturday&#x27;s title-decider.Should she best Andreeva in the final, Chwalinska will become just the second woman to come through qualifying and win a Grand Slam final in any major since the Open era began, after Emma Raducanu&#x27;s title run at the US Open in 2021.The 24-year-old said her run in the French capital was &quot;like a dream&quot;, moments after beating 25th seed Shnaider, who a day before had eliminated world number one Aryna Sabalenka.Chwalinska&#x27;s only previous meeting with Shnaider was at an ITF event in Istanbul four years ago, which the Russian won.&quot;I don&#x27;t know what&#x27;s going on, I just, I dunno what to say. I&#x27;m sorry, I&#x27;m just very happy,&quot; the Pole added to raucous applause on Court Philippe Chatrier.Chwalinska, appearing in her first main draw in Paris, has won nine matches across a three-week campaign at Roland Garros that started with three rounds of qualifying last month.She admitted that her physical state was &quot;not great&quot; in the aftermath of her two-hour-10-minute semi-final win.&quot;I mean it&#x27;s so challenging to play against the best players in the world day by day, but it&#x27;s a Grand Slam so you just have to give your best day by day,&quot; she added.&quot;But I&#x27;m not complaining at all!&quot;Chwalinska had only won one match in her two previous Grand Slam appearances, at Wimbledon in 2022, and only two tour-level matches on clay before Roland Garros.En route to the last four, Chwalinska started out by downing Olympic gold medallist Zheng Qinwen in the first round before felling 23rd seed Elise Mertens, former world number three Maria Sakkari, hometown hope Diane Parry and 22nd seed Anna Kalinskaya.Chwalinska is projected to climb to at least a career-high No. 21 in the rankings.After edging the first set on a tie-break, the second frame was level until Shnaider requested a medical time-out for a back massage. After that stoppage, at 4-3, Chwalinska won the next three games to claim victory.&quot;I was just in such a shock. You know, just, I don&#x27;t know, joy, surprise,&quot; Chwalinska said, reflecting on the sensations that immediately followed her forehand winner on her first match point.&quot;I was just very, I feel like, overwhelmed also.&quot;Defeat brought an end to Shnaider&#x27;s career-best major performance.&quot;Very proud of myself, what I achieved here,&quot; the 22-year-old said.&quot;(Chwalinska) played unreal, and she definitely deserved this win today and to be in the final.&quot;<div> - &#x27;See those hairs&#x27; -</div>Earlier, Andreeva raced into her first Grand Slam final as she beat an erratic Kostyuk 6-1, 6-3.The teenager, who had twice lost to Ukrainian Kostyuk this season, including the Madrid Open final, said she was &quot;so focused that I could see those hairs on the ball&quot; as she romped to victory in 76 minutes on court.&quot;I&#x27;m super happy with the way I played and then that I got revenge for Madrid final and I&#x27;m happy that I&#x27;m in my first-ever Grand Slam final,&quot; Andreeva said.The 15th-seeded Kostyuk went into her maiden major semi-final on a 17-match winning streak on clay but quickly unravelled on Court Philippe Chatrier, where she had four days earlier eased past four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek.She finished the match with 34 unforced errors, telling her press conference: &quot;Obviously not the greatest match from me today.&quot;However, it has been a breakthrough clay-court swing for the 23-year-old, who can console herself with a win in Rouen, as well as a first WTA 1000 title in the Spanish capital.Victory for Andreeva brought her tally of wins in 2026 to 35 -- the most on tour this season.<div> </div>

Maja Chwalinska made French Open history on Thursday as the world number 114 became the first qualifier in the professional era to reach the Roland Garros final, where she will take on Mirra Andreeva.

Maja Chwalinska made French Open history on Thursday as the world number 114 became the first qualifier in the professional era to reach the Roland Garros final, where she will take on Mirra Andreeva.

Qualifier Chwalinska sets up Andreeva French Open final clash

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

Sports

Qualifier Chwalinska sets up Andreeva French Open final clash

Agence France-Presse

Published June 05, 2026 01:53 PM PHT

|

Updated June 05, 2026 07:21 PM PHT

Read More:

tennis

French Open

Diana Shnaider

Maja Chwalinska

Mirra Andreeva

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.