When Maja Chwalińska arrived in Paris for Roland Garros, a deep run was the last thing on her mind.
The Polish left-hander had never won more than two tour-level matches in a season and entered the tournament ranked No. 114 in the world.
As she kept winning, however, an unexpected problem surfaced — she was running low on money to cover her stay in the French capital.
Prize money at Grand Slams is only paid after the tournament concludes, and Chwalinska’s savings were running thin. Now, less than two weeks later, she is preparing for the biggest match of her life.
On Saturday, the 24-year-old will face teenage sensation Mirra Andreeva in the Roland Garros final, completing one of the most improbable runs in Grand Slam history.
It All Began In Qualifying
Chwalinska’s journey started three rounds before the main draw. She became only the second qualifier in the Open Era to reach a Grand Slam singles final, following Emma Raducanu at the 2021 US Open, and the first ever to do so at Roland Garros.
The Pole has now won nine consecutive matches in Paris.
A Life-Changing Payday
Before this tournament, Chwalinska had earned $864,030 in career prize money.
By reaching the final, she has already secured $1.628 million — nearly double her previous career earnings. Victory on Saturday would bring another $1.628 million and cap a remarkable financial turnaround.
This is Chwalinska’s first main-draw appearance at Roland Garros after failed qualifying attempts in 2021, 2023 and 2025.
She is only the third woman in the Open Era to reach the French Open final on her tournament debut, following Evonne Goolagong in 1971 and Chris Evert in 1973.
Rankings Rocket
Ranked No. 114 at the start of the fortnight, Chwalińska is guaranteed to climb to No. 21 in the world rankings. If she lifts the trophy, she will rise to No. 14.
She is only the third player ranked outside the top 100 to reach a Grand Slam final in the last four decades, joining Serena Williams and Raducanu.
Chwalinska had never reached a WTA final before this tournament. Yet she now stands one victory away from becoming the first left-handed woman to win Roland Garros since Monica Seles in 1992.
She is also just the third Polish woman in the Open Era to reach a Grand Slam singles final, following Agnieszka Radwanska and Iga Swiatek.
