Maja Chwalińska, the author of the biggest sensation at this year’s Roland Garros, and potentially in the entire history of tennis if she lifts the trophy, has attracted enormous public attention.
At the press conference, the Polish woman did not hide who her inspiration and role models were that shaped her love for the sport.
“First, I was the number one fan of Roger Federer. When I started playing, everything revolved around him. Later came Rafael Nadal, then Novak Djokovic. Now I just pray that Novak keeps going so that I can watch him play. I am very grateful to have grown up in this era. Sometimes I watch old matches, they are like poetry,” Chwalińska pointed out, adding that Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner also thrill her, but that the Big Three is still the main thing for her.
The main weapon of the 24-year-old Polish woman is an incredible defense. Her game is based on superb movement and resourcefulness at the net, and even when a point seems completely lost, she manages to return the ball and force her opponents into an error.
As she explains herself, she studies her rivals in detail before every match. In addition, she points out that this defensive gift is natural to her, but also that watching tennis constantly in her private life helps her a lot in reading the game better and anticipating shots.
Until now in Paris, Chwalińska has not had overly dangerous opponents, and the highest-ranked was the Belgian Mertens at the 21st position. Now the picture changes drastically because Mirra Andreeva awaits her in the final, the 19-year-old sensation, the eighth tennis player in the world and the youngest member in the top 10 company. This will be the last obstacle for the Polish woman who has never in her career played even a regular WTA final, and until now has won only two challengers – in Montreux and Florianópolis.
She is aware that she is an underdog, but she does not hide her excitement. She emphasizes that she has watched Mirra, that the Russian is incredible, and that this will be another huge experience for her in which she will give her all because, after all, it is a Grand Slam final. This is said by a girl who has never been in the top 100 in the world – she is currently 114th, and her career-best ranking was just a step above that.
Already from Monday, Maja Chwalińska’s reality will be completely different. By reaching the final, she secured a jump to the 21st position on the WTA list, while an eventual title would bring her as high as the 14th place in the world.
This extraordinary success has given the organizers of Wimbledon a serious task. Given that her new ranking will not arrive in time for the formation of the entry list in London, she will formally have to play the qualifications, unless the tournament officials grant her a special invitation (wild card). Wimbledon is now on the move.
How much of a sensation this girl’s placement in the Roland Garros final actually is, is also testified by the financial data. Chwalińska will leave the capital of France with earnings that manifoldly surpass everything she has cashed in for more than half a decade of professional tennis.
Before arriving in Paris, her total career earnings amounted to 864,030 dollars. Just for participating in the final, a check for 1,400,000 euros will land in her account, while the championship title would bring her twice as much, i.e., 2,800,000 euros, before the traditionally high French tax is deducted from that sum.
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Source: Nova.rs; Photo: Printscreen Instagram @majachwalinska