If Maja Chwalinska pulls off the almost unthinkable and wins the French Open, Roger Federer will be able to claim a small part of the credit.
The 24-year-old Pole can become only the second qualifier, after Emma Raducanu, to win a grand slam title when she takes on eighth seed Mirra Andreeva in the final at Roland Garros on Saturday.
In many ways, Chwalinska’s run is even more unlikely than Raducanu’s at the US Open in 2021 given the then teenager was riding a breakthrough wave.
Chwalinska first played in grand slam qualifying at the Australian Open in 2020 and had been battling away in the lower reaches of the sport ever since.
Her unorthodox game has frustrated a succession of top-50 players and semi-final opponent Diana Shnaider was gushing in praise of Chwalinska afterwards, saying: “She moves incredibly on the court. She reads the game very well. Even if you think that you won the point, she’s there.”
The Pole credits a childhood spent studying the tennis greats for her ability to anticipate what her opponent is about to do.
“I love watching tennis,” she said. “When I was younger, I watched tennis all day, every day. So I feel like it really helps me with reading the game better.
“I was Roger’s number one fan. When I started playing tennis, it was all about Roger. And then Rafa (Nadal) and then Novak (Djokovic). So now I’m just praying Novak keeps playing so I can watch him play.
“I’m very grateful that I was growing up during this era. Sometimes I come back to these old matches and I watch them play, and it feels like poetry.”
Chwalinska’s game, endearing personality and the sheer improbability of her story has made her a real fan favourite at Roland Garros this year.
The support especially means a lot to Chwalinska because in 2021 she struggled so much with life on tour and the expectations that she became depressed and took nearly four months away from the sport.
She had to pause before her on-court interview following the semi-final while the crowd chanted her name.
Former world number one Mats Wilander, who is part of TNT Sport’s coverage of the tournament, said: “She played so smart. She plays with spin, drop shots and she understands the game unbelievably well.
“The story of her being the qualifier and the first one to get to the final of Roland Garros is amazing but it’s more than that. She has touched people’s hearts as she plays a style of tennis people can understand.”
Saturday will bring a new grand slam champion, with 19-year-old Russian Andreeva also in her first final.
Chwalinska’s ranking will soar from 114 to at worst 21, meaning she will gain entry into all the biggest tournaments and be seeded at the slams.
Her rise comes too late, though, to earn direct entry into Wimbledon, leaving the All England Club with a dilemma.
Usually, almost all the eight wild cards go to British players but Serena and Venus Williams could both request them and would be bigger draws than Chwalinska.
“Now I know that my ranking will allow me to play more at the highest-ranked tournaments,” said Chwalinska.
“For now, I’m trying to focus on just one more match. Nothing changes for me. The stage changed but, honestly, I’m just playing tennis.”
