Magic Maja: Chwalinska Is First Qualifer to Reach Roland Garros Final

By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, June 4, 2026
Photo credit: Tim Clayton/Getty

Struggling to find the funds to pay for her Paris hotel room last week, Maja Chwalinska served up a stunning eviction notice at Roland Garros today.

Whipping a forehand pass that kissed the sideline, Chwalinska closed a stirring 7-6(3), 6-4 upset of Diana Shnaider crashing to the red clay after a historic rise to the Roland Garros final.

The 114th-ranked Polish shotmaker is the first qualifier to reach the Roland Garros women’s final in history—and second qualifier in history to contest a Grand Slam singles final after Emma Raducanu became the first player, male or female, to play through qualifying and win a major championship at the 2021 US Open.

Prior to this magical shot-making spree, Chwalinska had won only two clay-court matches in her entire pro career.

Cinderella in clay-court sneakers continues to keep the Paris party pumping.

“Like a dream, honestly,” Chwalinska said of her historic final run. “I don’t know what’s going on. 

“I don’t know what to say, I’m sorry.”

Representing loveable longshots and tennis dreamers worldwide, Chwalinska will face maiden major finalist Mirra Andreeva in Saturday’s final.

In a rematch of the Madrid final, the eighth-seeded Andreeva crushed Marta Kostyuk, 6-1, 6-3, snapping the 15th-seeded Ukrainian’s perfect 17-0 clay-court record for her first Grand Slam final. Andreeva is the youngest women’s major finalist since Coco Gauff at the 2023 US Open.

This amazing thrill ride has seen Magic Maja win nine consecutive matches, including posting an 18-1 record in sets, to set up a final vs. 19-year-old favorite Andreeva.

So how is Chwalinska holding up physically and mentally amid the best surge of her career?

“Not great—I won’t lie,” Chwalinska said. “It’s challenging to play against the best players in the world day by day. 

“Grand Slams you are going to give your all and more.  I tried to stay composed because I know that’s the best way for me. It helps me play the best tennis. So that’s what I’m trying to do.”

Clad in a canary yellow Lacoste top, a white On sweatband, adhesive taping around both thighs, and a wide swath of red clay streaking the back of her shirt the 5’5” lefthander scored another massive major upset.

Playing with creative courage,  Chwalinska masterfully mixed her shots, showed toughness winning 36 of the 55 rallies that spanned nine or more shots and committed only 17 errors—fewer than half of Shnaider’s 36 errors—amid the most severe stress of her life.

Arising from the court after conjuring match point magic, Chwalinska absorbed a standing ovation salute from Court Chatrier fans and then did about the only thing you can do after making major miracle run. 

Plopping down in her court-side seat, Chwalinska wept in her white towel as Polish fans waved their nation’s flag proudly inside Chatier and a rainbow bloomed outside the stadium.

All this from Magic Maja, who confessed she didn’t have enough money to pay for her Paris hotel room and feared she might be bounced out until a sponsor stepped up.

“I mentioned in the interview after match against Maria that I actually struggled to pay for the hotel, because you guys know that we get the check after the tournament,”  Chwalinska said. “So it was a funny thing. 

“And then the Polish company, Oshee, they actually will help you with that, which is actually great. I’m very grateful for that. So I thought that I said something stupid, but actually, it kind of, like, developed as a fun thing.”

Shnaider streaked through 10 consecutive games in a shocking 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 quarterfinal upset of world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, but looked depleted and often came up second best in longer running rallies today.

Two left-handers reached the Roland Garros final four for the first time since 1984.

The Polish qualifier exploited a slew of Shnaider errors breaking at love for a 3-1 lead.

Court sense is a Chwalinska asset and she showed it late in the tiebreaker.

Charging up to a short ball, Shnaider smacked a forehand crosscourt. Before the Russian had completed her stroke, Chwalinska read its direction, sprinted left and lofted a rainbow lob winner for set points.

A frustrated Shnaider slapped a backhand wide as Chwalinska snatched a one-set lead after a physical 78-minute set. The opening set of this second semifinal was two minutes longer than Andreeva’s 6-1, 6-3 sweep over Kostyuk in the opening semifinal of the day.

Shnaider held for a 4-3 second-set lead then took treatment during the ensuing changeover.

Soft hands and sharp instincts at net are strengths for Chwalinska, who ran down a dropper, sifted a re-dropper and blocked a forehand volley winner for double break point in the ninth game.

Pulling a string on a brilliant backhand drop shot, Chwalinska made the yellow ball die in the dirt breaking with soft touch for 5-4.

Serving for her maiden major final, Chwalinska sprinted left and lasered that forehand pass down off the line, crashing to the clay like a woman plunging into a pool and arising as a Grand Slam finalist.