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Mirra Andreeva wins her first Grand Slam title at the French Open, beating qualifier Maja Chwalinska 6-3, 6-2, becoming the youngest Roland Garros champion since Monica Seles.
Mirra Andreeva won her first Grand Slam title at the French Open (AP)
Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva made hsitory by winning her first Grand Slam title at the French Open on Saturday, defeating Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska 6-3, 6-2 in the women’s singles final.
Seeded eighth, the 19-year-old produced a composed performance on Court Philippe-Chatrier to end Chwalinska’s dream run and secure the biggest victory of her young career.
Youngest In 34 Years!
Mirra Andreeva becomes the first teenager to lift the Roland Garros women’s trophy since Iga Swiatek captured the title in 2020. Her triumph also made her the youngest French Open women’s champion since Monica Seles, who claimed the third of her consecutive Paris crowns as an 18-year-old in 1992.
With her first-ever major crown, Andreeva also became the first player, man or woman, born after 2005 to win a Grand Slam.
Long regarded as one of tennis’s brightest prospectsAndreeva burst onto the international scene at 15 and has steadily developed into one of the sport’s leading players. Her breakthrough Grand Slam success in Paris marks another milestone in a career many believe is only just beginning.
Defeat at the final hurdle brought to an end an astonishing run for Chwalinska, which began in qualifying. She won nine matches in the French capital to become the first qualifier to reach the final in the Open era.
However, the world number 114’s career is now set for a different stratosphere, as she will climb to 21 in the rankings and be assured of competing regularly in tennis’ biggest tournaments.
Mirra Andreeva vs Maja Chwalinska – As It Happened
Chwalinska showed some early nerves, dumping 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 opening game.
But the Pole broke back immediately when Andreeva overcooked a backhand down the line at 30-40, after a series of looping defensive shots from both sides of the court.
Both players appeared to be struggling with the occasion, a situation not helped by blustery conditions on centre court, and two more consecutive breaks followed.
Chwalinska then put an end to that sequence by holding to love, bringing the crowd to their feet as she showcased the variety of her shot-making. She drew Andreeva to the net with a drop shot before lobbing her with a perfectly weighted volley on the way to a 3-2 lead.
Andreeva, however, showed she was willing to go toe-to-toe with her opponent, waiting patiently to strike with a winner up the line before slamming down an ace to secure her first hold of the match.
The Russian dug in and seized the initiative, pouncing on a Chwalinska service game that was particularly affected by the wind, as several court-side spectators saw their straw hats blown 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 her momentum as Chwalinska’s errors mounted, leaving her behind early in the second set.
Two Andreeva errors and an unplayable drop shot gave the Pole a chance to wipe out that advantage instantly, but the teenager showed serious mettle to produce a battling hold, and at 3-0 the writing seemed on the wall for Chwalinska.
Andreeva then rattled through the next two games to move to the brink of victory.
Chwalinska refused to give in, holding to make it 5-1 and then 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 sent her crumpling to her knees as she surpassed her coach Conchita Martinez’s 2000 runner-up finish at Roland Garros.
(With inputs from Agencies)
About the Author
Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for over a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes cricket conten…Read More
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