Maja Chwalinska‘s incredible French Open run may very well be the biggest tennis underdog story of the past few years. Having entered the tournament as a qualifier ranked No. 114, the Pole defied all odds to reach the final. Though Mirra Andreeva proved too good and defeated Chwalinska 6-3, 6-2, this campaign is something the latter won’t forget. Her run impressed multiple tennis veterans, including her compatriot Caroline Wozniacki, who emphasized how the 24-year-old’s life would change from this point on.

“She was going paycheck to paycheck, figuring out where she was gonna try and get into a tournament the following week,” she said on TNT Sports on June 6, 2026. “Never really knowing where she was going next, if she was able to afford a flight and now not only with the paycheck but also the points she has made this week, she is able to get into every tournament she wants to play, she can plan more accordingly, she can get a nutritionist, pizza is not the food to eat before every single match.

“At the end of the day, what a change for her. Now people know who she is, they will start looking at her tapes, they will understand what her game style is like, which was also making a lot harder for her to surprise people.”

The 2018 Australian Open winner understands the weight of a major. Unlike before, Chwalinska will now be under the public eye and attract a lot of attention. Although this will be a brand-new experience for the 24-year-old, she will focus on the tournaments ahead.

Veteran WTA pro Sloane Stephens echoed Wozniacki’s sentiment and highlighted that despite the defeat in the final, the French Open was a major success for Chwalinska.

“Her life will never be the same but in the best way,” Stephens stated. “There’s no downside to this. She will continue to play, she will make millions of dollars by getting into the Slams and probably having good results. I think for her and for her country, it is such a huge and impactful moment. And look at her she’s so cute and sweet.

“It’s such a deserving moment and although she wishes the result would have been different, it’s still incredible because there’s so many people that never make a Grand Slam final in their entire career, there’s people who never make a semifinal, quarterfinal, nothing.”

Chwalinska is only the second qualifier after Emma Raducanu (US Open 2021) to have reached a Grand Slam final in the Open Era. She met multiple tough opponents along the way, four of whom ranked in the top 50. Though many expected her to lose in all these matches, Chwalinska proved them wrong with solid performances, going on a dream run that fans will remember for years to come.

Reaching the French Open final will bring a significant change to Chwalinska’s ranking. She should gain 93 places and move up to No. 21, making her only the second Polish player to be in the top 40 after Iga Swiatek.

Chwalinska has also surpassed her career earnings through her appearance in the French Open final. She will receive around $1.61 million in prize money from the Grand Slam, doubling her previous career earnings of $864,030 in just two weeks.

This money will be important for Chwalinska, as she recently revealed her struggle to pay the hotel bills while residing in the French capital.

Maja Chwalinska opens up on facing accommodation issues in Paris

Finding suitable accommodation in Paris proved quite tricky for Chwalinska because of her limited budget. The Pole hadn’t expected to reach the final and thus hadn’t planned hotel bookings this far ahead when she had played her first qualifying match against Alice Rame.

“I mentioned in the interview after the match against Maria [Sakkari] that I actually struggled to pay for the hotel, because you know that we get the cheque after the tournament,” Chwalinska had admitted during a post-match press conference on June 4.

Fortunately for her, a Polish nutrition company named Oshee came to her support and paid the bills so that she could continue her stay in Paris.

“It was a funny thing. And then the Polish company ‘Oshee,’ they actually will help you with that, which is actually great, and I’m very grateful for that. I thought that I said something stupid, but it developed as kind of a fun thing,” she added.

After concluding her clay swing on a high note, Chwalinska will now shift her focus to the upcoming grass-court season. She can participate in multiple tournaments before the Wimbledon Championships on June 29. It remains to be seen whether Chwalinska can replicate her form on grass courts.