Russian teen Mirra Andreeva stuns tennis world with maiden French Open crown

Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva stunned the tennis world with her maiden Grand Slam win at Roland Garros 2026. The fan favourite beat Polish Maja Chwalinska in straight sets 6-3, 6-2 to become the youngest French Open women’s singles champion since Monica Seles (18) in 1992. Her first major crown also sees her become the first player, man or woman, born after 2005 to win a tennis Grand Slam.

WATCH Winning Moment -

Chwalinska displayed some early nerves as she dumped two serves straight into the net on the very first point of the match, with Andreeva finally forcing a break at the end of a seven-minute-long opening game. But the Pole broke back instantly as Andreeva overcooked a backhand down the line following a series of looping defensive shots coming from both sides of the court at 30-40.

Both players seemed to be struggling with the occasion, a situation not helped by blustery conditions on centre court, as two more consecutive breaks came about.

Chwalinska then put an end to that as she held to love, bringing the crowd to their feet as she showed the variety of her shot selection by drawing Andreeva to the net with a drop shot before lobbing her with a perfectly weighted volley en route to taking a 3-2 lead. But Andreeva showed she was willing to go toe-to-toe with her opponent as she waited patiently to strike with a winner up the line before slamming down an ace to earn her first hold of the match.

The Russian dug in and moved into the ascendancy as she pounced on a Chwalinska service game that was particularly impacted by the wind, as several court-side spectators saw their straw hats fly off in the breeze. She then reeled off a comfortable hold before powering to a one-set lead, breaking Chwalinska again with a crosscourt backhand winner.

Andreeva kept on a roll as Chwalinska compiled errors to go behind early in the second frame.

Two Andreeva errors and an unplayable drop shot gave the Pole the chance to instantly wipe out that advantage, but the teen showed serious mettle to pull off a battling hold, and at 3-0 the writing looked on the wall for Chwalinska.

Andreeva then rattled through the next two games to move to the brink. But Chwalinska refused to give in and held to make it 5-1, before breaking Andreeva as she served for the match.

However, the new world number six was not to be denied as she pounced in the very next game to claim the biggest trophy so far of her fledgling career.

A backhand winner sending her crumpling to her knees as she surpassed her coach Conchita Martinez's 2000 runner-up finish at Roland Garros.

(With inputs from AFP)