Maja Chwalinska Sets Up French Open Final Showdown With Mirra Andreeva

PARIS: Poland’s Maja Chwalinska will face Mirra Andreeva in the final of women’s singles in the French Open.

Chwalinska beat Russian Diana Shnaider 7-6 (4) 6-4 in the second semifinal on Thursday just after Andreeva’s win over Marta Kostyuk.

The 24-year-old claimed the first set 7-6 to put herself in pole position to seal a spot in the final. In the second set, after the score was 4-4, she won back-to-back games to register the victory.

Chwalinska became just the second player to reach a Grand Slam final after entering the tournament as a qualifier.

The only player to do that till date is Emma Raducanu, who went on a dream run at the 2021 US Open to win her only major title till date.

On the otherhand, Mirra Andreeva continued her rapid rise on the WTA Tour by securing a place in her first Grand Slam final, producing a commanding display to defeat Marta Kostyuk 6-1, 6-3.

The eighth-seeded Russian required just 76 minutes on Court Philippe-Chatrier to dismantle the in-form Kostyuk, whose 17-match winning streak came to an abrupt end. The victory not only propelled Andreeva into her maiden major final but also confirmed her status as one of the brightest young stars in the sport.

At 19, Andreeva becomes the youngest woman to reach a Grand Slam final since Coco Gauff's breakthrough run at the 2022 French Open. She is also the third-youngest Roland Garros finalist of the 21st century, behind only Gauff and Kim Clijsters, who reached the championship match at 17 in 2001.

The result carried added significance given Andreeva's recent struggles against Kostyuk. The Ukrainian had beaten her in straight sets in both of their previous meetings this season, including the Madrid Open final six weeks ago. This time, however, the Russian turned the tables emphatically.

From the outset, Andreeva dictated proceedings with her aggressive shot-making and exceptional court coverage. She raced through the opening set, allowing Kostyuk little opportunity to establish any rhythm. The second set proved more competitive, but the teenager remained firmly in control, repeatedly forcing errors from her opponent and shutting down any hopes of a comeback. Agencies

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