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Russian tennis player Mirra Andreeva won her first Grand Slam title on Saturday by defeating Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska in straight sets during the French Open final.
The 19-year-old Russian beat Chwalinska 6-3, 6-2, becoming the youngest Roland Garros women’s singles champion since an 18-year-old Monica Seles won her third consecutive Paris title in 1992.
With this historic victory, Andreeva also secured her place as the first player born after 2005, male or female, to win a major tennis crown.
The coveted Coupe Suzanne Lenglen will now join two WTA 1000 titles in Andreeva’s growing trophy cabinet.
During the on-court ceremony, the new world number six expressed disbelief while holding the trophy, noting that she had dreamed of winning the tournament since childhood, and extended heartfelt thanks to her team, her psychologist, and her opponent.
The defeat concluded an extraordinary journey for the 114th-ranked Chwalinska, who won nine consecutive matches starting in the qualifying rounds to become the first qualifier in the Open era to reach the French Open final.
Despite the loss, Chwalinska’s spectacular run will catapult her ranking to world number 21 and guarantee her regular entry into the sport’s premier tournaments.
On court, Chwalinska warmly congratulated Andreeva, playfully calling her young, talented, and “annoying,” while jokingly apologising to the crowd for not delivering a more competitive match against an opponent who was simply too good.
Blustery conditions on centre court, combined with early nerves for both players, led to four consecutive breaks of serve to open the match.
Andreeva found her rhythm first, breaking the deadlock with greater consistency to claim three straight games and take the opening set.
The teenager then displayed true grit in the second set, rattling through the opening games to build a commanding 5-0 lead.
Although Chwalinska refused to capitulate—holding her own serve and breaking the Russian to narrow the gap to 5-2—Andreeva pounced in the very next game to seal the victory.
A final backhand winner sent Andreeva to her knees, surpassing the 2000 runner-up finish of her coach, Conchita Martinez.
In a light-hearted moment, Andreeva even teased tennis legend Mary Pierce, who presented the trophy, for defeating Martinez in that final nearly seven years before Andreeva was born.
