Andreeva claims maiden Grand Slam at Roland Garros
Mirra Andreeva defeats Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska 6-3, 6-2 to secure the French Open title, navigating geopolitical tensions and on-court protocol disputes along the way.
Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva has secured her first Grand Slam title at the French Open, defeating Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska 6-3, 6-2 in the women’s singles final on Saturday. The victory establishes the eighth-ranked Andreeva as the youngest player to win the Roland Garros crown since Monica Seles in 1992, and the first teenager to claim the title since Iga Swiatek in 2020.
Andreeva, who has been a Grand Slam contender since her breakthrough at the 2023 Madrid Open at age 15, concluded the match in one hour and 22 minutes. She secured the title with a backhand cross-court winner on her first match point, dropping to her knees on the clay to celebrate. Chwalinska, ranked 114th, had become only the second qualifier in the Open era to reach a Grand Slam singles final, attempting to become the first to win the tournament.
The final was played under mostly sunny skies, though wind conditions affected play in the first Grand Slam final for both competitors. Chwalinska double-faulted on the opening point but was the first player to hold serve in the fifth game. Despite her array of spins and drop shots, she was unable to overcome Andreeva’s consistency as the Russian player hit through the wind.
Andreeva’s path to the title has been marked by geopolitical tensions, requiring her to play under neutral status without her country’s flag due to the war with Ukraine. This context influenced on-court protocol disputes, most notably in the semifinals against Ukrainian opponent Marta Kostyuk, who refused to shake Andreeva’s hand following the custom adopted by Ukrainian players since 2022.
The atmosphere at Court Philippe-Chatrier featured a strong Polish presence, with fans holding red-and-white flags and chanting Chwalinska’s name. Andreeva received limited support from the crowd, though a shout of "Davai Mirra!" was heard late in the match. Her coach, Conchita Martinez, sought to avenge her own 2000 French Open final loss to Mary Pierce. Alexander Zverev is scheduled to play Flavio Cobolli in the men’s final on Sunday.
