From Qualifier to French Open Finalist: Maja Chwalinska’s Fairytale Journey in Paris

Before arriving in Paris, Maja Chwalinska had won just two tour-level matches on clay and had accumulated career prize money of $864,030. Few could have predicted that the Polish qualifier would leave Roland Garros on the verge of one of the biggest moments of her career — a French Open final against Mirra Andreeva.

Her dream run has transformed both her sporting and financial fortunes. By reaching the championship match, Chwalinska has already secured prize money of $1.624 million, nearly double her total career earnings before the tournament.

Ironically, despite her success on court, Chwalinska reportedly faced concerns about meeting the rising costs of her stay in Paris as she continued advancing through the draw. Tournament prize money is paid only after the event concludes, leaving her worried about covering hotel expenses during her unexpected run.

Help arrived from Polish beverage company OSHEE, which stepped in to cover the remaining hotel costs, allowing her to focus entirely on her tennis.

The achievement is particularly significant given the personal challenges Chwalinska has faced in recent years. The Polish player has previously spoken about battling depression and stepping away from tennis for a period before finding her way back to the sport.

Now, standing one match away from a Grand Slam title, she admits the experience still feels surreal.

“I feel like I am in a bubble, I don’t know what’s going on,” Chwalinska said ahead of the final.

“After the tournament it will be time to process it: breathe in, breathe out.”

A lifelong fan of Roger Federer and an admirer of Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, Chwalinska says she feels fortunate to have grown up during one of tennis’s greatest eras.

“I’m just very grateful that I was growing up during this era,” she said. “Sometimes I come back to these old matches and I watch them play, and it feels like poetry.”

Earlier in the tournament, Chwalinska reflected on the unfamiliar territory she had entered as her run gathered momentum.

“It’s very new for me, this stage,” she told WTA Tennis. “I’ve never really been in the third round of a Grand Slam before, and now I’m in the fourth round. Coming through qualifying, I definitely didn’t expect to be in this position. It’s a lot to take in, and I’m very proud of the effort I’ve put in.”

Unlike many of the power hitters dominating the modern game, Chwalinska believes her success comes from embracing a different style of tennis.

“I know that I play differently from most players,” she said. “I don’t have the physical conditions to play with pure power, so I’ve had to develop different weapons. I think that helps me a lot against these players.”

Whether or not she lifts the trophy, Chwalinska’s journey from uncertainty and personal struggles to the biggest stage in tennis has already become one of the standout stories of the tournament.