Polish tennis star Maja Chwalińska reaches Roland Garros final
Poland’s 24‑year‑old Maja Chwalińska entered the 2026 French Open as world No. 114, having qualified for the main draw. She defeated Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng, Elise Mertens, Maria Sakkari, Diane Parry, Anna Kalinskaya and Diana Shnaider to reach the final – the first qualifier ever to do so at Roland Garros. In the championship match she lost to 19‑year‑old Russian Mirra Andreeva 3‑6, 2‑6.
The run propelled Chwalińska up the WTA rankings to No. 21, securing direct entry to future major tournaments. Her prize money rose dramatically: the runner‑up payout of €1.4 million (gross) translates to roughly €770 000 after French taxes, a net gain of about €3 million compared with her previous career earnings of $864 000. Her Instagram following surged from about 25 000 to over 400 000 in two weeks, attracting sponsor interest.
The timing coincides with a dispute over a Wimbledon wild‑card, as the entry list closed before her Paris performance. The Polish Tennis Association has applied for a special invitation, and commentators have highlighted her case as a strong candidate for a wild‑card. The story has drawn comments from fellow athletes, former world No. 1 Justine Henin, and Polish handball star Kamil Syprzak, while the player herself plans to rest before targeting Wimbledon.
Overall, the episode marks a historic breakthrough for Polish tennis, combines a dramatic on‑court achievement, a massive financial reward, and a pending decision that could affect her 2026 grass‑court season.