French Open Fairytale: Maja Chwalinska, who once feared hotel eviction, now one step from glory

Just two weeks ago, Maja Chwalinska arrived in Paris as a qualifier with modest expectations and little certainty about her run in the tournament. Now, she is one win away from a Grand Slam title, in what has become one of the most remarkable stories in recent tennis history. Her journey at Roland Garros goes far beyond results on the court. It is best understood through a simple reality she faced midway through the tournament, when she was unsure whether she could afford to remain in Paris.

The 24-year-old arrived at the French Open without sponsorship support and ranked well outside the sport’s top tier. After advancing through qualifying and unexpectedly reaching the fourth round, she admitted that paying for her stay in the French capital had become a genuine worry.

“I hope there are still some rooms available out there… or that I have enough money,” Chwalinska admitted. Although prize money in tennis is not paid out immediately and despite earning more than she ever had from a single tournament, Chwalińska still had expenses to cover in one of Europe’s most expensive cities.

Her comments quickly resonated across the tennis community. Soon after, Polish nutrition company Oshee stepped in with sponsorship support, covering her expenses and allowing her to focus entirely on her tennis rather than her accommodation costs.

Financially, the tournament has transformed Chwalinska’s career. Before this year’s French Open, her total career prize money stood at approximately $864,000. By reaching the final, she has guaranteed herself at least $1.6 million, nearly double what she had earned throughout her entire professional career.

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A few years ago, Chwalinska’s future in the sport looked uncertain as she underwent major surgery in 2022 and after that she spent years rebuilding her fitness, confidence and ranking. She arrived in Paris ranked No. 114 in the world and had to win three qualifying matches just to secure a place in the main draw.

What followed was an extraordinary sequence of performances, as first, she emerged from qualifying and then she continued upsetting higher-ranked opponents, advancing deeper into the tournament with each round. Even as her run gathered momentum, Chwalinska struggled to process what she was achieving.

“If someone had told me before the tournament that I would reach the round of 16, I probably wouldn’t have believed it,” she said.

Grand Slam breakthroughs happen every year, but this one is very unexpected. Chwalinska has played three more matches than most of her opponents because she started in the qualifying rounds.

Before this tournament, she had never gone past the second round of a Grand Slam and now she has put together one of the most impressive runs seen at Roland Garros in recent years.

Victories over Anna Kalinskaya and Diana Shnaider carried her all the way to the championship match, where she will face Mirra Andreeva. Her remarkable run is also set to trigger a dramatic rise in the rankings, with projections placing her around world No. 30 after the tournament, a huge gain from her starting position of No. 114.

The French Open has produced countless unforgettable champions and moments, but some of its most compelling stories come from players who arrive with little fanfare and leave having changed the course of their careers.

Not long ago, Maja Chwalinska was wondering if she could afford another night in her hotel. Now, she is preparing to compete in her first Grand Slam final.