Maja Chwalińska reaches the French Open semi-finals as a qualifier

Voices after the match

With her semi-final appearance, Chwalińska has achieved the best performance by a qualifier at the French Open, equalling the result of Nadia Podoroska from 2020, who also reached the semi-finals of a Grand Slam tournament as a qualifier at the time. "I've known her since we were ten years old. We definitely have a long history together. She's a great champion and a great inspiration for all of us in Poland," Chwalińska said about Iga Świątek, the four-time French Open champion, who was eliminated in the third round by Marta Kostjuk 5-7, 1-6.

The path to the semi-finals

In the semi-finals, Chwalińska will face the winner of the match between world number one Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus and Diana Shnaider of Russia, seeded 25th, on Thursday. Sabalenka had defeated Naomi Osaka 7-5, 6-3 in the third round, while Shnaider beat Madison Keys 6-3, 3-6, 6-0. This means the semi-final is the biggest stage of Chwalińska's career on the WTA Tour to date.

Besides Chwalińska, three other players have reached the semi-finals: Marta Kostjuk of Ukraine (seeded 15th) defeated her compatriot Elina Svitolina (seeded 7th) 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 in the quarter-finals. Russia's Mirra Andreeva, seeded 8th, convincingly beat Romania's Sorana Cîrstea (seeded 18th) 6-0, 6-3. This means the semi-finals of the clay court tournament feature four players from four different countries, underscoring the breadth of the field.

Outlook for the semi-finals

Chwalińska, who is 1.64 metres tall and was born in Poland according to her profile, had defeated France's Diane Parry 6-3, 6-2 in the third round. She had previously advanced to the main draw of the French Open through qualifying, thus earning one of her rare appearances at a Grand Slam tournament. With her semi-final appearance, she is not only gaining world ranking points but also prize money and experience.

The clay court tournament in Paris, along with the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open, is one of the four Grand Slam events in women's tennis. The French Open has been held since 1891 and is considered one of the most traditional tennis tournaments in the world. This year, the surprising semi-final appearance of a qualifier is causing a stir.

Chwalińska's rise is part of a series of unexpected results. With the early exit of Iga Świątek, the dominant player on clay in recent years, the field has opened up for underdogs. The Pole herself emphasized that she knows Świątek from their childhood days and is inspired by her career. Whether Chwalińska can continue her winning streak will be seen on Thursday when she faces Sabalenka or Shnaider.