The girl who nearly walked away: Maja Chwalinska's fairytale French Open run reaches historic semifinal

Maja Chwalinska's remarkable journey at the French Open has become one of the tournament's most inspiring stories. Coming to Paris with just two career tour-level clay-court wins, the Polish qualifier has defied expectations to reach the Roland Garros semifinals. The 24-year-old world number 114 secured her place in the last four with a stunning 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 victory over 22nd seed Anna Kalinskaya. Her achievement makes her only the second female qualifier since Nadia Podoroska in 2020 to reach the French Open semifinals and just the sixth qualifier in the Open Era to make the final four of a Grand Slam.

Chwalinska's dream run continues after successfully navigating qualifying and winning eight consecutive matches in Paris, losing only one set along the way. Her next challenge comes against Diana Shnaider, who shocked world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the quarterfinals. Speaking after her latest win, Chwalinska admitted she was struggling to process her success. "I honestly don't know what is going on," she said. "My goal was simply to qualify for the main draw. I felt I was doing the right things and needed patience, but I never expected it to happen like this."

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The breakthrough is particularly meaningful given the personal challenges she has overcome. Five years ago, after a first-round qualifying defeat at Wimbledon, Chwalinska stepped away from tennis indefinitely while battling depression. At her lowest point, she questioned whether she would ever return to the sport. "I couldn't get out of bed anymore. I felt lifeless," she recalled. "I knew I needed a break and wasn't sure if I'd come back."

With support from those around her and encouragement from athletes openly discussing mental health, including Naomi Osaka, Chwalinska gradually rediscovered her passion for tennis. Now, she finds herself on the verge of history. During her impressive run, she has defeated Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen and multiple seeded opponents.

Against Kalinskaya, Chwalinska showed remarkable composure. After giving away a 5-1 lead in the opening set, she regrouped to dominate the tiebreak before closing out the match in straight sets despite late pressure. While she remains grounded, her career trajectory has changed dramatically. Entering the tournament, her goal for 2026 was simply to break into the world's top 100. Thanks to her semi-final appearance, she is projected to rise into the top 30 rankings.

The financial rewards have also been significant. By reaching the semifinals, Chwalinska has earned £647,700 in prize money, more than doubling her previous career earnings in less than two weeks.