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The Guardian World1 min read
Qualifier Chwalinska reaches semi-finals to continue dream French Open run
TL;DR
Qualifier Maja Chwalinska has reached her first Grand Slam semi-final at the French Open by defeating Anna Kalinskaya 7-6 (7-3) 6-3. She is only the second qualifier in history to reach the semi-finals at Roland Garros.
Key points
- Maja Chwalinska reached her first Grand Slam semi-final
- She defeated Anna Kalinskaya 7-6 (7-3) 6-3
- Chwalinska is the second qualifier to reach the semi-finals at Roland Garros
- She is the sixth qualifier in the Open era to reach a Grand Slam semi-final
- Emma Raducanu was the last qualifier to win a Grand Slam title
Mentioned in this story
Maja ChwalinskaAnna KalinskayaEmma Raducanu
French Open
Qualifier Maja Chwalinska continued her dream French Open run as she beat Anna Kalinskaya to reach her first Grand Slam semi-final.
The world number 114 was left open-mouthed with shock after completing a superb 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 win over 22nd seed Kalinskaya on a blustery Paris day.
Poland's Chwalinska is the second qualifier after Nadia Podoroska in 2020 to reach the singles semi-finals at Roland Garros.
She is only the sixth qualifier in the Open era to reach the women's singles semi-finals at a Grand Slam.
Only one - Britain's Emma Raducanu at the 2021 US Open - went on to win the title.
World number one Aryna Sabalenka could await Chwalinska the last four, with the Belarusian taking on Russian Diana Shnaider later on Wednesday.
"I honestly don't know what is going on," Chwalinska told the crowd.
"I know I repeat myself, but every match here is kind of crazy for me."
It is a remarkable run for Chwalinska, who arrived at the tournament with just two victories in WTA Tour-level main-draw matches under her belt.
Her sole Grand Slam match win came at Wimbledon in 2022 - but Chwalinska now finds herself on an eight-match winning streak on the Parisian clay, having dropped just one set on the way.
Everything appears to have clicked in place for a player who once feared she might have left the sport for good.
Chwalinska struggled with depression for two years and took an indefinite break from tennis after losing in the first round of qualifying at Wimbledon in 2021.
She did not know whether she would return at that point, having lost her enjoyment of training and competing.
With the support of the people around her, the openness of fellow players such as Naomi Osaka in speaking about their mental health, and brief attempts to enjoy other sports, Chwalinska found herself gradually gravitating back to the tennis court.
It has all led her to this moment of a first major semi-final - and a potential David-versus-Goliath showdown with title favourite Sabalenka.
In Paris, Chwalinska has played with infectious freedom and joyful creativity, beating two seeded players and Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen along the way.
Q&A
Who is Maja Chwalinska and what achievement did she recently accomplish?
Maja Chwalinska is a Polish tennis player who recently reached her first Grand Slam semi-final at the French Open.
What was the score of Maja Chwalinska's match against Anna Kalinskaya?
Maja Chwalinska won her match against Anna Kalinskaya with a score of 7-6 (7-3) 6-3.
How many qualifiers have reached the women's singles semi-finals at a Grand Slam in the Open era?
Maja Chwalinska is only the sixth qualifier in the Open era to reach the women's singles semi-finals at a Grand Slam.
Who was the last qualifier to win a Grand Slam title before Maja Chwalinska?
The last qualifier to win a Grand Slam title before Maja Chwalinska was Emma Raducanu at the 2021 US Open.
