French Open: The final nobody saw coming

Paris: If the French Open women’s final appears on paper to be a mismatch between a teenage prodigy and an unheralded qualifier, Poland’s Maja Chwalinska has spent the past fortnight proving appearances can be deceiving.

Russian eighth seed Mirra Andreeva arrive s at Saturday’s showpiece as the overwhelming favourite after bulldozing her way through the draw, dropping only 12 games in her last three matches and looking every inch a future Grand Slam champion. Yet across the net will stand a player whose improbable run has become one of the stories of the tournament.

Chwalinska travelled to Paris ranked 114th in the world and had to win three qualifying matches to reach the main draw. Nine victories later, the 24-year-old finds herself one win away from one of the most unlikely Grand Slam titles of the Open Era.


Andreeva’s relentless baseline power and ability to dictate rallies have overwhelmed opponents throughout the tournament. But Chwalinska offers a completely different challenge. In an era dominated by power hitters, the lefthanded Pole has captivated spectators with a game built on variety, touch and tactical intelligence.