• Maja Chwalinska makes history as the first qualifier to reach a Grand Slam final at Roland Garros.
• She defeated Diana Shnaider 7-6 (4), 6-4 in the semi-finals.
• Chwalinska’s final opponent will be Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva.
• The Polish player has dropped only one set in her nine matches leading to the final.
• If victorious, her ranking will rise significantly from 114th to 14th.

Polish world number 114 Maja Chwalinska made history on June 4 by defeating Diana Shnaider in straight sets of 7-6 (4), 6-4, thus becoming the first qualifier in the professional era to reach the French Open final. Chwalinska's victory allows her to join Emma Raducanu, the only other player to have reached a Grand Slam final from qualifying rounds since the Open Era began, following Raducanu's title at the US Open in 2021, according to Le Monde, Reuters, and Al Jazeera.

Chwalinska expressed her disbelief post-match, saying, "It feels like a dream... I'm just very happy," while reflecting on her incredible run at the tournament, which marks her first main draw appearance at Roland Garros after previously failing to qualify three times. She praised her resilience, stating, "I'm trying to stay composed... inside there's a storm," highlighting the emotional intensity of her matches, according to Le Monde and Reuters.

In the final, Chwalinska will face Russian eighth seed Mirra Andreeva, who secured her place with a semi-final win over Marta Kostyuk by a score of 6-1, 6-3. Both players are set to contend for their first Grand Slam title on Saturday. Chwalinska noted that she has observed Andreeva's matches, remarking on her "incredible" game, as she prepares to step into the spotlight of the final, according to Reuters and Al Jazeera.

Chwalinska's remarkable journey through this tournament has seen her drop only one set across nine matches, which includes four victories against top-50 players. If she clinches the title, her ranking will dramatically rise to 14th place, and she will also take home significant prize money, potentially surpassing 2.8 million euros ($3.25 million) with a win, according to Le Monde, Reuters, and Al Jazeera.