Poland’s Maja Chwalinska holds a second place trophy the ultimate tennis match against Russia’s Mirra Andreeva on the French Open in Paris, Saturday, June 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)
PARIS–World number 114 Maja Chwalinska says she hopes her run from qualifying all of the approach to the French Open final may be “inspiring” for other players outside the highest 100.
Chwalinska became the primary qualifier to succeed in the ultimate at Roland Garros for the reason that Open era began, but got here up short in her bid for a historic Grand Slam crown as she lost to eighth seed Mirra Andreeva 6-3, 6-2 within the title-decider on Saturday.
After years on the lower-tier circuit, 24-year-old Chwalinska’s charge to the ultimate, in what was just her third principal draw appearance at a serious, has captivated the tennis world and catapulted the previously unheralded Pole into the highlight.
But Chwalinska, who will break into the highest 100 for the primary time when she rockets to No. 21 in Monday’s updated rankings, said it was a only a high-quality margin between the players at the highest of the sport and people further down the pecking order.
“I do know many, many great players which might be ranked outside top 100. You realize, it’s such a skinny line now,” Chwalinska told reporters.
“I wish all of them the perfect. I hope that my story these last days was inspiring for them. Yeah, I’ll see them within the, let’s say, top 50 now.”
Poland’s Maja Chwalinska returns to Russia’s Mirra Andreeva during their final women’s tennis match on the French Open in Paris, Saturday, June 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
Despite surpassing all expectations along with her remarkable run by which she earned the primary wins of her profession against top 50-ranked players, including Elise Mertens, Maria Sakkari, Anna Kalinskaya and Diana Shnaider, Chwalinska said she could play even higher.
“Truthfully, I didn’t feel like I’m playing my best tennis, which is type of weird,” she said.
“I feel like I gained plenty of confidence, because I’ve never really played against the high-ranked players before. It was the very first time that I faced them.
“I’ll carry on working hard, as I’m now… I’ll give my all to proceed and to be a greater player.”
Chwalinska next has her sights set on Wimbledon, which prior to Roland Garros was the one Grand Slam by which she had recorded a main-draw win.
Together with her jump within the rankings coming too late for the Wimbledon entry list, she admitted that she doesn’t “expect” a wildcard to the tournament but will “give my all” if she has to undergo qualifying once more.
Before turning her attention to the grass though, she revealed that she plans on taking some well-earned rest.
“I’m not going to play anything before grass — before Wimbledon, that’s of course,” she said.
“I definitely need a while to recharge. Even before Roland Garros, I said that I needed vacation after the tournament. So now it’s (been) three weeks that I’m type of, like, not waiting, because I desired to be here, but I just knew in my head that I’m going for vacation after the French Open.”