Sipping tea fuels Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska’s run to French Open final against Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva

Sport admin June 7, 2026 0 Comments

Sipping tea fuels Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska’s run to French Open final against Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva

PARIS — Sipping tea every night is working wonders for Maja Chwalinska.

The Polish player became just the second qualifier to reach a Grand Slam singles final in the Open Era when she beat Diana Shnaider of Russia 7-6 (4), 6-4 on Thursday.

The 24-year-old Chwalinska can match Emma Raducanu’s title run at the 2021 US Open when she plays Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva in Saturday’s final at Roland Garros.

Nothing will change Chwalinska’s routine for the biggest match of her life.

“I’m going to drink my tea,” she said.

Chwalinska and Raducanu, according to stats provider Opta, stand alone among men and women in having reached a major singles final from the qualifying rounds since the Open Era began in 1968.

“I feel like I am in a bubble, I don’t know what’s going on,” Chwalinska said. “After the tournament it will be time to process it: breathe in, breathe out.”

Chwalinska sealed victory on her first match point with a powerful forehand winner down the line, then fell back with both hands on her face. She then sat on her chair and panted heavily, her face buried into a towel.

“I honestly don’t know what was going on in my head,” she said. “I was just in such a shock.”

Chwalinska’s run saw her advance through three qualifying rounds to enter the main draw and play in just her third Grand Slam. Her best result at a major before this was the second round at Wimbledon in 2022.

The eighth-seeded Andreeva reached her first Grand Slam final by beating Marta Kostyuk, 6-1, 6-3.

Andreeva reached the semifinals here two years ago, but this is Chwalinska’s first semifinal anywhere at WTA tour-level.

Chwalinska has dropped only one set in her nine matches, including qualifying, and has bulldozed her way past four top-50 players in the main draw.

Her ranking will rocket from No. 114 to No. 14 if she wins the tournament, according to the WTA.

Her bank balance will also get a significant boost. Chwalinska’s total prize money heading into Roland Garros was $864,030 and by reaching the final she gets about $1.6 million; and $3.25 million if she wins on Saturday.

A neat drop shot and lob gave her set point in the tiebreaker, and she clinched the first set when Shnaider’s backhand went wide.

Shnaider had a medical timeout after the seventh game of the second set. She flexed her left leg as she lay on her back, and dropped her serve in the ninth game, giving Chwalinksa a chance to serve for the match.

“All the kudos to Maja. She played amazing,” Shnaider said. “She moves incredible on the court, she covers a lot. Even if you think that you won the point, she’s there.”

Andreeva could see even the smallest details on the ball.

“I was seeing the little hairs on the ball when I was tossing or playing [shots],” Andreeva said. “I was really, really focused today.”

The 19-year-old also converted her first match point when serving for the victory.

She clearly feels comfortable at the French Open, which she describes as a “cozy” tournament because she sees familiar faces every year, and enjoys her time in Paris.

“I really like to walk around the city, to go into those little restaurants on the street,” she said. “I also speak a little bit of French, so I try to sometimes talk to people in French.”