Mirra Andreeeva’s ascension up the ranks of women’s tennis has come rapidly in the last few years.
Now the world No. 8 is a Grand Slam champion at the age of 19.
The Russian teenager became the youngest Roland Garros champion since Monica Seles in 1992 (18) when she dominated Polish qualifier Maja Chwalińska, 6-3, 6-2 to win the title. She only dropped one set en route to the title.
Andreeva managed the windy conditions well, mixing in a strong serve with a forehand slice and even some moon balls.
“Of course first of all congrats to Maja for these amazing three weeks,” she said on court. “Passing through qualies, winning so many matches, beating so many great players, congrats to your team as well. You guys have done an amazing job. You’re a very tricky opponent. I wouldn’t want to play against you one more time. I wish you the best of the luck for the rest of the season and I hope we play…. OK it’s fine. I hope we play many many more finals together in the future.”
Andreeva, appearing in her first major final, was the first teenager to reach the Roland Garros final since Coco Gauff in 2022. She was the first player born after 2005 to reach a major final (men or women).
She will take home $3.25 million with the trophy, while Chwalińska, the daughter of an electrician in a coal mine and a receptionist at a sports facility, doubled her career prize money and takes home $1.624 million.
“First of all congrats to Mirra,” she said on court. “You’re such an incredible player. You’re so young and talented, it’s so annoying. Congrats to you and your team for an amazing job. I wish you all the best for the future.”
Andreeva is the sixth straight different major winner in the last six majors, and the third straight different champion at Roland Garros.
Chwalinska was the lowest-ranked women’s finalist ever at Roland Garros. Perhaps worn out from her run to the final, she wasn’t able to put up much of a fight.
In 2021, according to Reuters, Chwalinska announced that “she had been suffering with depression for over 18 months and was stepping away from the court.”
“I pushed at the beginning. I thought that I just need to stay very strong, tough, and just keep practicing,” Chwalinska told reporters in Paris.
“But then I just couldn’t get out of bed anymore. I was just lifeless, to be honest. I knew that I need to take a break, because otherwise I’m just not able to live,” she added.
“I honestly didn’t know if I’m gonna come back or not. After, like, months, I decided to come back. I needed to figure out a few things in my head, I would say. And I came back. I’m happy that I did.”
Andreeva fell behind 2-3 in the first set but proceeded to reel off four straight games, winning the first set with a wicked crosscourt backhand winner to break for 6-3.
She converted 4-of-7 break chances in the first set, hitting 14 winners to 12 unforced errors.
In the second set, Andreeva held from 0-40 down to go ahead 3-0.
Serving for the match at 5-1, she was broken.
On triple match point on Chwalinska’s serve, she broke with a backhand winner and then fell to the court on her knees.
This marks the first time since 1977 that no previous major champion has made the semis in either the men’s or women’s draw.
No. 2 Alexander Zverev faces No. 10 Flavio Cobolli in Sunday’s men’s final.
