Poland surely expected another deep French Open run from its established stars, yet it was 24-year-old Maja Chwalinska who unexpectedly stole the spotlight. The rising Pole outshined compatriots Iga Swiatek and Magda Linette before cruising past Anna Kalinskaya to book a stunning SF berth at the Roland Garros. Along the way, the 24-year-old not only crafted the finest chapter of her career but also pocketed the biggest payday of her professional journey, a reward that feels well earned.

By reaching the French Open semis, Maja Chwalinska has already achieved a financial breakthrough. Her prize money earnings from this run total approximately $870,000, more than doubling her previous career earnings of $864,030 within 10 days.

The Polish ace has also etched her name into tennis history books. She is only the French Open qualifier in the Open Era to reach the women’s singles SF at Roland Garros.

The only other player to accomplish that feat was Nadia Podoroska in 2020. Now, Chwalinska stands just one victory away from becoming the first qualifier in the Open Era to reach the French Open championship game.

Yet her remarkable journey has been about much more than tennis results. The road to this moment has included significant personal struggles and setbacks back in the years.

In 2021, shortly after losing in the first round of SW19 qualifying, Chwalinska made a difficult decision regarding her future in the sport. The Pole announced that she would be stepping away from tennis indefinitely. At the time, she had been battling depression for nearly two years.

In her statement, she wrote: “I have reached the point where I am no longer able to bring myself to train.”

Few could have predicted then that she would one day find herself competing for a place in a Grand Slam final. Her comeback has been one of the most inspiring stories of this year’s tournament.

Her rise in tennis actually began years earlier alongside one of Poland’s biggest tennis icons, Iga Swiatek. The two were close friends as juniors, represented their country together in the Junior Billie Jean King Cup, and finished as runners-up in the 2017 AO girls’ doubles event. They also made their professional debuts at the same tournament in Zawada in 2015 and celebrated their first ITF victories in Torun the following year.

Now ranked No. 114, Chwalinska has become the second lowest-ranked women’s singles semifinalist in the French Open history behind Lois Boisson, who reached the last four in Paris in 2025 while ranked No. 361. 

With a SF now ahead of her, Chwalinska continues to turn an already unforgettable tournament into the defining chapter of her career.

Maja Chwalinska reflects on historic Roland Garros breakthrough

Maja Chwalinska, playing in the main draw of the French Open for the first time in her career, the Pole has already achieved a feat few players have managed.

She is only the 5th woman since 1990 to reach the French Open singles semis in her main-draw debut. The exclusive list includes Jennifer Capriati in 1990, Clarisa Fernandez in 2002, Nadia Podoroska in 2020, and Lois Boisson in 2025.

What makes the achievement even more remarkable is her limited experience in Grand Slam events. This tournament marks only the 3rd main-draw appearance of her professional career.

Her rise over the past two weeks has been nothing short of astonishing. Before the French Open began, the Polish player had earned only $114,000 in prize money during the 2026 season. Her incredible run in Paris has completely changed that picture.

After defeating Maria Sakkari in the third round of the tournament, Chwalinska admitted that she never expected to remain in Paris for so long. “Are you ready to book a hotel for the third week?” the interviewer asked in her on-court interview.

Chwalinska responded with her trademark humor. She added, “Well, I hope there are like, free places out there… Or I have enough money, you know? Because I know I earned a lot here, but it’s not coming right away, you know guys? Let’s see, pray for me.”

At the time, it sounded like a light-hearted joke. Now, however, she has gone even further and booked herself a place in the semifinals.

Even Chwalinska appears to be struggling to fully process what she has accomplished after her QF match. Speaking after reaching the final four, she openly shared her emotions with the crowd.

“I honestly don’t know what is going on,” Chwalinska told the crowd at Court Philippe-Chatrier. “I know I repeat myself, but every match here is kind of crazy for me. I was definitely nervous. I am stressed, of course, but I try to focus on my job and my games,” Chwalinska said. “I am not focusing on confidence. I am playing against the best players in the world, so I will not compare myself to them.”

Whatever happens next, the Pole’s ranking is set for a dramatic rise, with projections placing her inside the world’s top 30. As for whether she can reach the final and possibly lift the trophy, her current form suggests nothing can be ruled out before the semis.