Chwalińska's First Coach Paweł Kałuża to 'Rz': I Hope for a Beautiful Match and Maja's Victory

Paweł Kałuża, the initial coach of rising tennis star Maja Chwalińska, describes the recent surge in media interest as a mixed blessing. While he acknowledges the pleasant aspects of recognition, he admits the constant attention has become somewhat burdensome.

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Half and half. Certainly pleasant, but in the long run, it's becoming cumbersome. The media calls, everyone is curious, everyone wants to know something about Maja. As her first coach, I take it on the chin, but I admit that on the day of the semifinal, it was tough.

Kałuża prefers to follow Chwalińska's matches from the comfort of his home, surrounded by family. He mentioned receiving an invitation to a fan zone organized in Dąbrowa Górnicza for her semifinal match but chose to watch privately to maintain his own experience.

He expressed confidence in Chwalińska's performance, attributing her success to meticulous preparation. Kałuża highlighted their focus on her all-around development, encompassing technical skills, tactical understanding, physical conditioning, and crucial mental fortitude. He believes this comprehensive approach has enabled her to play her best tennis at this critical juncture.

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I am calm, confident in Maja's game. It's clear she is well-prepared for this tournament, playing her best tennis, so I'm not worried at all.

Kałuża also touched upon their long-term strategy, which involved building a "winner's mentality" from a young age. He recalled how Chwalińska often spoke of her ambition to win Grand Slams, a goal they consistently worked towards. He also noted their efforts to prepare her for the pressures of professional tennis by familiarizing her with media interactions and simulating high-stakes match environments during training.

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We worked with Maja for development, forging talent with the assumption that the results would come at the right time, which is now. Winning confirmed we were on the right track, and losses were opportunities for analysis, searching for causes, and became steps in development. Of course, Maja went into every tournament with the conviction that she wanted to win it. Building a winner's mentality is very important.