EMMA RADUCANU’S STATUS as the only qualifier ever to win a grand slam title could be erased on Saturday by remarkable Polish outsider Maja Chwalinska.
The 24-year-old’s 7-6 (4) 6-4 victory over Russian Diana Shnaider on Court Philippe Chatrier was her ninth in a row at Roland Garros, and set up a final clash with eighth seed Mirra Andreeva.
Chwalinska, who is ranked 114th, arrived in Paris as one of 128 players just hoping to make it through to the main draw and without ever having beaten a top-50 player.
Now she has toppled four in a row as well as Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, and will fully believe she can match Raducanu’s fairytale run in New York five years ago.
The Pole produced her best performance yet to see off 25th seed Shnaider, who went from the high of defeating world number one Aryna Sabalenka to being bamboozled by a qualifier in 24 hours.
Chwalinska has an unorthodox game based not on power but on an intelligent use of spins and angles, creating a puzzle that none of her opponents have so far been able to solve.
The first set alone lasted longer than Andreeva’s 6-1 6-3 victory over Marta Kostyuk earlier, and Chwalinska got better and better.
After a final winner flew past the stranded Shnaider, Chwalinska collapsed to the clay in delight and disbelief, and she had to pause before her on-court interview while the crowd chanted her name.
“Like a dream,” she eventually said when asked how the achievement felt. “I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t know what to say.”
One aspect of run to the final has been the ice-cold composure she has displayed on court across all her matches.
“I’m crazy sometimes also, yeah,” Chwalinska said of her emotions. “But I try to stay composed because I know it’s the best way for me… But inside there’s a storm, believe me.”
In an intriguing clash of styles between the variety of Chwalinska’s game and the power-hitting of Shnaider, it was the diminutive Pole who earned the first break to get 3-1 ahead.
A deft drop-shot followed by a beautifully disguised deep backhand slice helped bring three break points. She converted the first when Shnaider drove a forehand into the tramlines.
The Russian hit back straight away to wipe out the break, even drawing an admiring thumbs-up from Chwalinska after a perfectly-weighted backhand drop-shot.
A wild forehand by Chwalinska gave Shnaider daylight at 3-1 in the tie-break, but the patient Chwalinska won six of the next seven points to claim the opener.
With the sun peeking through the sides of the roof on centre court, the pair exchanged breaks of serve to start the second set.
Shnaider called for a medical time-out to receive a back massage when leading 4-3.
Chwalinska began drawing the rallies out in response and promptly broke Shnaider in the Russian’s next service game to move to the edge of victory.
She sealed her spot in the final with a forehand winner.
“I will give my all, it’s a Grand Slam final,” Chwalinska said.
“Let me enjoy this moment for now… I just want to breathe a little, enjoy it today, then just recover as best I can,” she added of preparations for her 10th and final match of the tournament.
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Qualifier Maja Chwalinska continues remarkable run to reach French Open final
EMMA RADUCANU’S STATUS as the only qualifier ever to win a grand slam title could be erased on Saturday by remarkable Polish outsider Maja Chwalinska.
The 24-year-old’s 7-6 (4) 6-4 victory over Russian Diana Shnaider on Court Philippe Chatrier was her ninth in a row at Roland Garros, and set up a final clash with eighth seed Mirra Andreeva.
Chwalinska, who is ranked 114th, arrived in Paris as one of 128 players just hoping to make it through to the main draw and without ever having beaten a top-50 player.
Now she has toppled four in a row as well as Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, and will fully believe she can match Raducanu’s fairytale run in New York five years ago.
The Pole produced her best performance yet to see off 25th seed Shnaider, who went from the high of defeating world number one Aryna Sabalenka to being bamboozled by a qualifier in 24 hours.
Chwalinska has an unorthodox game based not on power but on an intelligent use of spins and angles, creating a puzzle that none of her opponents have so far been able to solve.
The first set alone lasted longer than Andreeva’s 6-1 6-3 victory over Marta Kostyuk earlier, and Chwalinska got better and better.
After a final winner flew past the stranded Shnaider, Chwalinska collapsed to the clay in delight and disbelief, and she had to pause before her on-court interview while the crowd chanted her name.
“Like a dream,” she eventually said when asked how the achievement felt. “I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t know what to say.”
One aspect of run to the final has been the ice-cold composure she has displayed on court across all her matches.
“I’m crazy sometimes also, yeah,” Chwalinska said of her emotions. “But I try to stay composed because I know it’s the best way for me… But inside there’s a storm, believe me.”
In an intriguing clash of styles between the variety of Chwalinska’s game and the power-hitting of Shnaider, it was the diminutive Pole who earned the first break to get 3-1 ahead.
A deft drop-shot followed by a beautifully disguised deep backhand slice helped bring three break points. She converted the first when Shnaider drove a forehand into the tramlines.
The Russian hit back straight away to wipe out the break, even drawing an admiring thumbs-up from Chwalinska after a perfectly-weighted backhand drop-shot.
A wild forehand by Chwalinska gave Shnaider daylight at 3-1 in the tie-break, but the patient Chwalinska won six of the next seven points to claim the opener.
With the sun peeking through the sides of the roof on centre court, the pair exchanged breaks of serve to start the second set.
Shnaider called for a medical time-out to receive a back massage when leading 4-3.
Chwalinska began drawing the rallies out in response and promptly broke Shnaider in the Russian’s next service game to move to the edge of victory.
She sealed her spot in the final with a forehand winner.
“I will give my all, it’s a Grand Slam final,” Chwalinska said.
“Let me enjoy this moment for now… I just want to breathe a little, enjoy it today, then just recover as best I can,” she added of preparations for her 10th and final match of the tournament.
- Additional reporting by AFP.
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