World No. 114 Maja Chwalinska reaches Roland Garros 2026 final

Maja Chwalinska, the world's 114th-ranked tennis player, has achieved a fairytale run to the Roland Garros 2026 final. She defeated Russia's Diana Shnaider 2-0 (7-6, 6-4) in the semifinals, marking a historic achievement for a qualifier.

Poland has previously relied on Iga Swiatek for Roland Garros dominance, but she was eliminated early this year. Amidst Polish disappointment, Chwalinska emerged as a Cinderella story, securing shocking victories. Before this tournament, Chwalinska had only won two Grand Slam matches and earned approximately $860,000 in prize money. Her current run has seen her defeat top players like Qinwen Zheng, Elise Mertens, Maria Sakkari, Diane Parry, and Anna Kalinskaya.

With her semifinal win, Chwalinska etched her name in history as the first qualifier to reach the Roland Garros final. Across all four Grand Slam tournaments, she is the second qualifier in the Open Era to reach a championship match. Chwalinska will compete against Russia's Mirra Andreeva in the final on June 6.

"It feels like a dream. I don't know what's happening. I just... I don't know what to say. I'm so happy," Chwalinska told AFP, expressing her disbelief and joy at her unexpected success.

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It feels like a dream. I don't know what's happening. I just... I don't know what to say. I'm so happy