Polish tennis star Maja Chwalinska reaches Roland Garros final

Polish player Maja Chwalinska entered the 2024 French Open after fighting through three qualifying rounds. She then won six consecutive matches, including a 7‑6 (4), 6‑4 semifinal victory over Russian world No. 23 Diana Shnaider, to become the first qualifier ever to reach the Roland Garros women’s final. Her feat makes her only the second player in the modern era, after Emma Raducanu, to reach a Grand Slam final from qualifying, and places her alongside legends Evonne Goolagong and Chris Evert as one of the few to debut in a main draw and advance to the final. The run also secures her a €1.4 million prize pool and triggers debate over future wild‑card entries, as tournament organizers weigh her performance against traditional selection criteria. Chwalinska’s achievement marks the first time a Polish woman has contested a Roland Garros final.