PARIS — Maja Chwalinska has made headlines at the French Open as she triumphs over No. 22 seed Anna Kalinskaya with a score of 7-6 (3), 6-3, propelling herself into the semifinals.
The unseeded Chwalinska navigated through three rigorous qualifying rounds, becoming just the second Polish woman to reach the semifinals at Roland Garros, the other being four-time champion Iga Swiatek.
A pivotal moment arrived when Kalinskaya’s wild shot at the net granted Chwalinska a match point, which she seized when Kalinskaya’s powerful forehand went astray.
The 24-year-old Chwalinska covered her mouth in astonishment, later burying her face in her hands in disbelief.
“Honestly, I can’t quite grasp what’s happening. Each match has been a whirlwind for me,” she expressed. “I feel nervous and stressed, but I keep trying to focus on my performance.”
Before this tournament, Chwalinska had never advanced past the second round in any Grand Slam.
“I’m up against some of the best players globally,” she noted. “I don’t intend to compare myself to them.”
Her next challenge lies against the victor of Wednesday’s defining quarterfinal match between top seed Aryna Sabalenka, last year’s finalist, and No. 25 Diana Shnaider.
No matter the outcome ahead, she has already significantly boosted her career earnings.
Prior to this event, Chwalinska’s total prize money was $864,030, and making it to the semifinals secures her 750,000 euros (approximately $872,000).
After an exchange of early breaks in blustery conditions with the roof open on Court Philippe-Chatrier, Chwalinska surged to a 5-1 lead before Kalinskaya fought back, saving a set point and closing the gap to 5-3.
Kalinskaya saved another crucial set point at 40-30, leveraging her robust backhand to break Chwalinska’s serve again.
A fan waved a Polish flag as Chwalinska held serve in the 11th game to thwart Kalinskaya’s resurgence. The flag waved anew following an intense 25-stroke rally, propelling Chwalinska to a 5-3 lead in the tiebreaker, which she clinched at her third opportunity when Kalinskaya’s backhand went long.
“I felt like I was battling against the wind, the weather, and her,” Kalinskaya commented. “Being left-handed made it especially tricky today. The cold slowed the ball down, limiting my ability to use my speed and power. It was certainly an advantage for her style of play.”
Chwalinska managed a double break in the second set, leading 4-1, but momentarily faltered, dropping her serve while serving for the match at 5-2.
This lapse proved inconsequential as Kalinskaya’s struggling serve soon opened another door for Chwalinska.
In the two remaining men’s quarterfinals, No. 4 Felix Auger-Aliassime faced No. 10 Flavio Cobolli, while unseeded Italians Matteo Berrettini and Matteo Arnaldi went head-to-head.
All matches on Wednesday unfolded on Chatrier.
In a previous matchup, second-seeded Alexander Zverev and No. 26 Jakub Mensik claimed victory in their quarterfinals on Tuesday and are set to clash in the semifinals.
