- Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska, ranked 114th in the world, has made history by reaching the French Open semi-finals, becoming only the second woman to achieve this feat after coming through the qualifying rounds.
- The 24-year-old has secured eight consecutive victories at Roland-Garros, including three in qualifying and five in the main draw, notably defeating higher-ranked opponents such as Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng, Elise Mertens, and Maria Sakkari, before seeing off Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya in Wednesday’s quarter-final.
- Chwalinska's remarkable run follows a period in 2021 when she took an indefinite break from tennis due to depression, later returning to the sport with a renewed perspective that results do not define her.
- Despite lacking the power of some opponents, the left-hander employs a 'wily, crafty' game, utilising drop shots, slices, and moonballs to disrupt rhythm and outmanoeuvre her rivals, a tactic that proved effective in her quarter-final win against Anna Kalinskaya.
- This unexpected success marks her maiden Grand Slam semi-final and will see her ranking surge into the top 50, a significant leap for a player who had never beaten a top-50 opponent before this tournament.
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