Maja Chwalkińska became the first women’s qualifier to reach the French Open semifinals since 2020 and accomplished the feat in her tournament debut.
How Maja Chwalinska Became One of the French Open’s Biggest Surprises
Maja Chwalińska’s run at the 2026 French Open has been extraordinary so far. The Polish qualifier has defeated higher-ranked opponents and emerged as one of the biggest surprises in Paris.
The 24-year-old arrived in Paris forced to play the qualifiers, due to her low ranking, in order to earn a place in the main draw. Now, she has become one of the stories of the tournament, reaching a Grand Slam semifinal for the first time in her career.
Chwalińska’s journey began before the main draw even started. She successfully navigated three qualifying matches, including a hard-fought victory over Suzan Lamens to secure her place in the tournament.
Once in the main draw, the Pole faced world former No. 4 and 2024 Olympic champion, Qinwen Zheng, in the opening round, defeating the Chinese star in straight sets 6-4 6-0. In the second round, the young promise dismantled 23rd seed Elise Mertens 6-4 6-0, displaying her strong physical and mental performance.
The third round showed another significant challenge in the form of Maria Sakkari. After losing the opening set 1-6, many expected Maja’s dream run to come to an end. Instead, she stormed back to win 1-6 6-3 6-2 and booked a place in the second week of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career.
By then, tennis fans were beginning to take notice.
Her biggest test came in the fourth round against French player Diane Parry, the last remaining home player in the women’s draw. Playing in front of a local French crowd on Court Philippe-Chatrier, Chwalinska remained composed and tactically brilliant. She defeated Parry 6-3 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals.
Chwalińska secured her place in Polish tennis history. She became the fourth Polish woman in the Open Era to reach a Grand Slam singles quarterfinal, joining an exclusive list that included Agnieszka Radwańska, Iga Swiatek, and Magda Linette.
Following the shock fourth-round exit of four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek, who was defeated by Marta Kostyuk, Chwalińska has become Poland’s sole remaining representative in the singles draw. What makes her run even more remarkable is the impact it will have on her career. Having arrived in Paris ranked No. 114, the star has already secured a place inside the WTA Top 50.
The fairy tale continues as she stunned Anna Kalinskaya 7-6 6-3 to book her place in the semifinals.
Maja Chwalinska is now one victory away from a Grand Slam final. She will face the winner of the quarterfinal clash between Aryna Sabalenka and Diana Shnaider. A potential showdown with the World No. 1 looms at the horizon and the contrast could be hardly any better.
A few short years ago, Chwalinska was playing at local Challengers and giving interviews to reporters from this website. Now she’s on the home page of the WTA website, one step away from a French Open final.
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images
