Mirra Andreeva became a Grand Slam champion on Saturday, defeating Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska 6-3, 6-2 in the French Open women’s singles final at Roland Garros to claim the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen at the age of 19.
The eighth-ranked Russian became the youngest player to win the women’s title at Roland Garros since Monica Seles, who was 18 when she claimed her third successive French Open crown in 1992. Andreeva also became the first player, man or woman, born after 2005 to win a Grand Slam title. When she struck a backhand cross-court winner on match point, she dropped to her knees on the clay in celebration, surpassing the achievement of her coach Conchita Martinez, who reached the 2000 Roland Garros final but lost to Mary Pierce. Pierce was present on court to present the trophy to Andreeva.
Chwalinska had produced one of the most remarkable runs in recent Grand Slam history, winning nine matches in Paris, including three in qualifying, to become the first qualifier to reach the French Open final in the Open era. The world number 114 had beaten far higher-ranked opponents throughout the fortnight, but the occasion ultimately proved beyond her against a player of Andreeva’s quality and composure.
The final was played under mostly sunny skies, though a persistent wind complicated matters for both players throughout. Chwalinska double-faulted on the very first point of the match, and Andreeva eventually forced a break after a seven-minute opening game. Chwalinska broke back immediately as Andreeva overcook a backhand down the line, and the early exchanges were marked by consecutive breaks from both sides as each player struggled to find their footing on the occasion.
Chwalinska briefly seized control to lead 3-2 in the first set, drawing Andreeva to the net with a deft drop shot before lobbing her with a perfectly weighted volley to bring the crowd to their feet. There was a strong Polish presence on Court Philippe-Chatrier, with fans waving red-and-white flags and chanting her name throughout. Andreeva had little support in the stands, though a lone voice shouting “Davai Mirra” in Russian was heard late in the match.
Andreeva steadied herself and began to impose her game, pouncing on a Chwalinska service game disrupted by the wind before powering through to take the first set. She carried that momentum into the second, building a 3-0 lead before Chwalinska fought back to make it 5-1 and then broke Andreeva as she served for the title. The Russian regrouped immediately and took the next game to complete a commanding victory.
The win elevated Andreeva to world number six and added the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen to a trophy cabinet that already includes two WTA 1000 titles. She had first announced herself as a future champion at the 2023 Madrid Open, when she became the third-youngest player to win a main-draw match at a WTA 1000 event at just 15 years old. Since then, competing under neutral status without her country’s flag due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, she has steadily developed into one of the tour’s most formidable competitors.
Her victory was not without political undertone. When Andreeva beat Marta Kostyuk in the semi-finals, her Ukrainian opponent refused to shake hands at the net, a practice that has become customary among Ukrainian players facing Russians since the war began in 2022.
Chwalinska, despite the defeat, will climb to 21 in the world rankings as a result of her run, ensuring her a regular place at the sport’s biggest tournaments going forward.
In the men’s doubles final, top seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos retained their title with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten. Alexander Zverev faces Flavio Cobolli in the men’s singles final on Sunday.
