Andreeva Sets First Major Final At Roland-Garros With Chwalinska

Mirra Andreeva
Mirra Andreeva (photo: Jürgen Hasenkopf)

PARIS/WASHINGTON, June 4, 2026 (by Michael Dickens)

The youth movement that is currently permeating the sport of tennis is not limited just to the men’s game. On Thursday at the French Open, each of the four women’s singles semifinalists – Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine, Mirra Andreeva of Russia, Maja Chwalinska of Poland and Diana Shnaider of Russia – are all under the age of 25. Each was born since the turn of the 21st century.

In what has been a wild and unpredictable fortnight at Roland-Garros, full of high hopes and filled with all kinds of weather, youth have been served. Now, one of them, Andreeva or Chwalinska, will be a first-time major champion come Saturday.

In the first semifinal between the two best players on clay this year – No. 15 seed Kostyuk 17-0 on the red-brick surface coming in, including titles at Madrid and Rouen, and No. 8 seed Andreeva 20-3 on clay this season with a title at Linz – a first-time Roland-Garros finalist was crowned.

As it happened, it would be the 19-year-old Andreeva. She took her bow after polishing off a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Koystyuk with a complete performance that was finished in just 76 minutes to reach her first major final. There was no handshake between the two players afterwards.

The World No. 8 Andreeva, whose 17 Roland-Garros wins is most by a teenager since 2000, now has 35 match wins this season – 21 of them on clay – which leads the WTA Tour.

The Russian teenager became the third-youngest Roland-Garros finalist since 2000, behind only 18-year-old Coco Gauff in 2022 and 17-year-old Kim Clijsters in 2001 – and the fifth-youngest women’s finalist in the last 30 years.

Andreeva is also the youngest player to reach the final at any Grand Slam since Gauff run in Paris four years ago. Now, she will bid to become the first teen-aged major champion since Gauff at the 2023 US Open, when she faces either No. 25 seed Shnaider or qualifier Chwalinska.

“I’m just super happy with the way I played today,” Andreeva said during her on-court interview. “I’m happy I got revenge from the Madrid final, then I’m happy as well that I’m in my first Grand Slam final. All of these feelings have combined.

“I was very, very nervous coming into this match. I just told myself that no matter what happens, I’m just going to fight, give my best. If she ends up winning, she’s going have to really work for it. With this mindset, I ended up winning.”

 

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Andreeva jumped out to a double-break 3-0 lead by being the steadier, more powerful hitter. After consolidating her second break to move ahead 4-0, she clearly exhibited fewer nerves than Kostyuk – and won more points on her first serve, too – 75 percent (9 of 12) to 50 percent (5 of 10) in the early going. Although the Ukrainian saved five break points to avoid falling behind further, getting her first service hold required winning a grueling four-deuce, 14-point game fifth game.

Andreeva went on to win the opening set 6-1 in 35 minutes, outpointing Kostyuk 34-22, and taking advantage of 17 unforced errors by her frazzled opponent.

As the second set unfolded, Andreeva broke Kostyuk for the fourth time in the match to go ahead 2-0. Then, after 12 shots of baseline grinding under windy conditions on Court Philippe-Chatrier, Kostyuk gifted Andreeva with a 3-0 lead after hitting a backhand long for another unforced error. She was playing as poorly as possible after being so solid throughout the tournament. Although Kostyuk showed a glimmer of hope by winning just her second service game with a backhand down-the-line winner, facing a 3-1 deficit would not be easy to overcome. Next, Andreeva held serve in a back-and-forth game that was decided by a net-cord winner for a 4-1 lead. 

Later, as the match reached the hour-long mark, the roof was closed as it started to rain. Soon, Andreeva gained another break point but hit a return long. Kostyuk went on to hold serve – giving her a momentary reprieve. Then, she won a 28-shot rally and went on to break Andreeva for the first time to get back on serve. It was short-lived, though, as Andreeva broke back to lead 5-3, thanks to a thunderous, 184 km/h forehand winner on break point that immediately halted Kostyuk’s momentum.

Finally, serving for the match and a first-time trip to a major final, Andreeva won on her first match point after Kostyuk sailed a sixth-shot forehand long. 

Looking back, Andreeva was as composed as she could be under the circumstances. By the end of their one-hour, 16-minute semifinal, she was the one who remained cool, calm and collected – and who won. Andreeva hit 14 winners to 22 unforced errors and converted five of 13 break-point opportunities. By comparison, Kostyuk finished with 15 winners but made 34 unforced errors. She was just one of five on break-point conversions. Andreeva outpointed Kostyuk’s 68-49.

During an interview TNT Sports, Andreeva was asked to describe the feeling of winning and become a first-time major finalist. “It feels amazing. Obviously, it’s my first time in a Grand Slam final. I feel very, very happy with how I played today,” she said. “Marta is an amazing opponent. She’s very tough to play against. She’s been on a roll throughout the entire clay season. I knew the match would be very tough. I told myself to accept whatever happens on the court. I ended up winning the match and I feel very, very happy about it.”

Cinderella run continues for Chwalinska

Following Mirra Andreeva’s takedown of Marta Kostyuk, Maja Chwalinska‘s Cinderella run in Paris continued. The 114th-ranked qualifier from Poland defeated No. 25 seed Diana Shnaider of Russia, 7-6 (4), 6-4, in two hours and 10 minutes Thursday evening with poise and precision as her allies. It added up to Chwalinska reaching her first major final.

Chwalinska, who has strung together nine consecutive victories (three in qualifying and six in the main draw), became the first player to reach the Roland-Garros final after coming through the qualifying draw – and she’s just the second qualifier after Great Britain’s Emma Raducanu at the US Open in 2021 to reach a major final. Her PIF WTA Live Ranking has skyrocketed 93 spots during the Parisian fortnight – from No. 114 to No. 21.

According to the WTA Tour, Chwalinska is also just the third woman to make the Roland-Garros final in her main-draw debut, joining Evonne Goolagong (1971) and Chris Evert (1973). That’s pretty good company to keep.

“It’s like a dream, honestly,” Chwalinska, 24, said during her on-court interview. “I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t know what to say. I’m just very happy.

“It’s so challenging to play against the best players in the world, day by day, but it’s a Grand Slam so you just have to give your all and more. I’m not complaining at all.”

Against the 22-year-old Shnaider in a battle of lefties with the roof closed on Court Philippe-Chatrier, Chwalinska matched her power and precision against her opponent’s. She finished with 32 winners to 17 unforced errors, compared to 33 winners and 36 unforced errors by Shnaider. Chwalinska converted three of five break points and saved three of five break points. She outpointed Shnaider 81-70.

On Saturday, Chwalinska and Andreeva will both be vying for their first Grand Slam singles title – and it’s the first tour-level final for the 24-year-old Polish rising star, whose career-best ranking was No. 113 at the start of qualifying 17 days ago. They’ve never met on court before and it’s Chwalinska’s first meeting against a Top-10 opponent.

“I played [nine] matches here already, so there are no secrets,” Chwalinska said. “But I watched Mirra a bit. They were playing before us, so I watched her game and it was incredible. It’s just another great experience for me. I will for sure give my all. It’s a Grand Slam final.”

 

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Errani and Vavassori repeat as mixed doubles champions

Top seeds Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori of Italy became the first team to retain their Roland-Garros mixed doubles title in seven years. On Thursday afternoon, the Italian duo won their fourth Grand Slam mixed doubles title with a 4-6, 6-3, 10-4 victory over unseeded Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada and Evan King of the United States in one hour and 19 minutes. 

At a set each – and with five championship points on their racquet in a match tie-break – Vavassori poached a backhand winner on first championship point that clinched the title for the Italians. Errani and Vavassori outpointed Dabrowski and King 63-58.

“What can I say, I’m still living this dream that is never ending,” Errani said during the trophy ceremony. “This court is incredible. My dreams have [come true] here. A good tournament to Gabby and Evan, who were so tough for us today. You play unbelievable. Thank you for being the players and persons that you are. It’s a pleasure to share the court with you. 

“Andrea, you are my best friend and to share this with you is something crazy. I’m enjoying so much playing with you too much, it’s too funny. You are too good.”

Added Vavassori: “Thanks Sara. You’re my best friend. You improve me as a player and as a person. You are the first person I want to speak to when I lose a match. I’m really grateful to have this journey with you because it’s something I do not take for granted.”

Errani, 39, and Vavassori, 31, became the first team since 2019-19 to repeat as French Open mixed doubles champions, when Latisha Chan of Taiwan and Ivan Dodig of Croatia defeated Dabrowksi and Mate Pavic of Croatia in back-to-back finals. They also became the first No. 1 seeds to win the Roland-Garros mixed doubles title since Liezel Huber and Bob Bryan of the United States in 2009.

The Italians are no strangers to mixed doubles success. Beginning with the 2024 US Open, they’ve garnered four major mixed doubles crowns and are 4-0 in Grand Slam finals. Last year, Errani and Vavassori won both Roland-Garros (over King and Taylor Townsend of the United States) and the new condensed format at the US Open (over Iga Swiatek of Poland and Casper Ruud of Norway).

Around the French Open

In men’s doubles, No. 2 seeds Harri Heliovaara of Finland and Henry Patten of Great Britain advanced to the title match with their 6-3, 6-4 victory over unseeded Quentin Halys and Pierre-Hugues Herbert of France in one hour and 14 minutes on Court Suzanne-Lenglen Thursday afternoon. It was a fitting celebration of Heliovaara’s 37th birthday.

Heliovaara and Patten, who have yet to drop a set, outpointed their French opponents 58-49. By reaching the Roland-Garros final, the Finnish/British duo completes the set of Grand Slam finals on all three surfaces.

Next, Heliovaara and Patten will face either defending champions and No. 1 seeds Marcel Granollers of Spain and Horacio Zeballos of Argentina or No. 5 seeds Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori of Italy, who play their semifinal Friday.

Thursday’s Roland-Garros results

Friday’s Roland-Garros order of play

By the numbers

This is the first Grand Slam tournament without a former major champion in both the men’s and women’s semifinals since 1977 at Roland-Garros.

“Quotable …”

“You guys are amazing. We look up to you so much. You inspire us to be better and I think that’s what matters in this competition. Thank you for everything you do for the game of tennis and for the game of tennis.”

– Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada, during her trophy ceremony speech following the mixed doubles final in congratulating the champions, Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori.

 

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