French Open 2025: Maja Chwalinska becomes first qualifier to reach Roland Garros women's final
Synopsis
World No. 114 Maja Chwalinska has done what no qualifier has ever done at Roland Garros — reached the women's singles final. Only Emma Raducanu's 2021 US Open run compares. On Saturday, she faces fellow first-time finalist Mirra Andreeva for a Grand Slam title that would rank among the most improbable in the Open era.
Key Takeaways
Maja Chwalinska (World No.
114) defeated Diana Shnaider 7-6(4), 6-4 in the French Open semifinal on Thursday, 5 June 2025 .
She is the first qualifier in Roland Garros history to reach the women's singles final.
Only Emma Raducanu (US Open 2021) has previously reached a Grand Slam final as a qualifier in the Open era.
Chwalinska is just the third woman to reach the Roland Garros final on her main-draw debut, after Evonne Goolagong (1971) and Chris Evert (1973) .
8 seed Mirra Andreeva in Saturday's final — the first career meeting between the two players at WTA Tour level.
A title would mark Chwalinska's first Grand Slam and propel her into the Top 20 for the first time.
Maja Chwalinska, ranked World No. 114, made history at the French Open on 5 June 2025, defeating Diana Shnaider in straight sets to become the first qualifier ever to reach the women's singles final at Stade Roland Garros in Paris. The 24-year-old Polish player will face No. 8 seed Mirra Andreeva in Saturday's final, in what will be a first-time Grand Slam final appearance for both players.
How Chwalinska Won
Chwalinska overcame No. 25 seed Shnaider 7-6(4), 6-4 in 2 hours and 10 minutes in the second semifinal on Thursday. Her victory was built on relentless variety — shifting spins, speeds, and depths — combined with exceptional defensive speed and stamina that wore down the hard-hitting Shnaider across two demanding sets.
The win was Chwalinska's ninth match at Roland Garros this fortnight — three in qualifying and six in the main draw — a workload that underscores just how improbable her run has been.
Historic Significance
Chwalinska is only the second qualifier in the Open era to reach a Grand Slam final, joining Emma Raducanu, who famously won the US Open as a qualifier in 2021. She is also just the third woman to reach the Roland Garros final on her main-draw debut at the tournament, following Evonne Goolagong in 1971 and Chris Evert in 1973 — a lineage that places her in genuinely rarefied company.
Notably, Saturday's final will also be Chwalinska's first career match against a Top 10 opponent at WTA Tour level.
What Chwalinska Said
'It's like a dream,' Chwalinska said, dropping to the clay in disbelief after the final point. 'I don't know what's going on. I don't know what to say. I'm just very happy.'
On the challenge ahead, she added: 'It's so challenging to play against the best players in the world, day by day, but it's a Grand Slam, so you just have to give your all and more. I'm not complaining at all.'
Of her upcoming opponent, Chwalinska said: 'I watched Mirra a bit. They were playing before us, so I watched her game, and it was incredible. It's just another great experience for me. I will for sure give my all. It's a Grand Slam final.'
The Final: Chwalinska vs Andreeva
Saturday's final pits two first-time Grand Slam finalists against each other — a matchup the WTA Tour describes as featuring two of the tour's more versatile players. The contrast in styles will be sharp: where Shnaider brought raw power, Andreeva offers a different brand of precision and variety that Chwalinska will need to decode without any prior head-to-head data at Tour level.
A win on Saturday would hand Chwalinska a maiden Grand Slam title and push her well inside the Top 20 for the first time in her career — completing one of the most unlikely Grand Slam runs in the Open era.
Point of View
Six in the main draw — against increasingly elite opposition, and the seeding system offered her zero protection at any stage. The comparison to Raducanu is inevitable, but Chwalinska's path through the clay, a surface that rewards physical endurance and tactical variety over raw power, is arguably the harder feat. The more uncomfortable question for the WTA is structural: if two of the last four Grand Slam finalists entered as qualifiers, what does that say about the predictive value of rankings and the depth crisis among established top-20 players?
NationPress
7 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Maja Chwalinska and why is her French Open run historic?
Maja Chwalinska is a 24-year-old Polish tennis player ranked World No. 114 who entered the 2025 French Open through qualifying. She became the first qualifier in Roland Garros history to reach the women's singles final, and only the second qualifier ever to reach a Grand Slam final in the Open era, after Emma Raducanu at the 2021 US Open.
Who does Maja Chwalinska play in the French Open final?
Chwalinska faces No. 8 seed Mirra Andreeva in the women's singles final on Saturday. It will be the first meeting between the two players at WTA Tour level, and both are first-time Grand Slam finalists.
What was the semifinal score between Chwalinska and Shnaider?
Chwalinska defeated Diana Shnaider 7-6(4), 6-4 in 2 hours and 10 minutes on Thursday. Shnaider was seeded No. 25 at the tournament.
How many matches has Chwalinska played at Roland Garros 2025?
Chwalinska has played nine matches in total — three in qualifying and six in the main draw — making her run one of the longest and most demanding at the tournament.
Which other players reached the Roland Garros final on their main-draw debut?
Chwalinska is only the third woman to reach the Roland Garros final on her main-draw debut at the tournament, joining Evonne Goolagong in 1971 and Chris Evert in 1973.
