Mirra Andreeva Wins ‘This’ Prize Money After Beating Maja Chwalinska in French Open Final

On Saturday (June 6), Mirra Andreeva defeated Maja Chwalinska and secured an easy 6-3, 6-2 win in the French Open final, lifting her career’s first Grand Slam trophy. Both players reached a Grand Slam final for the first time in their careers.

The teenager beat the qualifier in just an hour and 22 minutes on Court Philippe-Chatrier. Andreeva, 19, has now become the youngest champion in Paris since Monica Seles in 1992.

Andreeva is also the first female Russian Grand Slam singles champion since Maria Sharapova here in 2014. Had Chwalinska won, she would have become the first qualifier to win Roland Garros as well as the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam title since Emma Raducanu at the 2021 US Open.

The Pole played her career’s first Roland Garros main draw match against 2024 Paris Olympics champion Qinwen Zheng after competing in the qualifying rounds. The seeded players whom Chwalinska defeated were Elise Mertens in the second round, Anna Kalinskaya in the quarterfinals, and Diana Shnaider in the semifinals.

After this latest match, Andreeva received a prize cheque of $3,272,137. Chwalinska had earned just $861,237 from her tennis career before this Roland Garros, but now, as a runner-up, she will be taking home $1,636,068.

Andreeva had played just one Major semifinal before this event. And she reached the stage here back in 2024, losing to eventual runner-up Jasmine Paolini. Last year, home favorite Lois Boisson ended her campaign in the quarterfinals.

Mirra Andreeva calls Maja Chwalinska a tricky opponent

Maja Chwalinska, who was ranked outside of the top 100 last year, is on the verge of making her top 20 debut. On Monday, she will reach her career-best No. 21 in the rankings. Mirra Andreeva, who reached her career-best ranking of No. 5 last July, will be ranked No. 6 on Monday.

The Russian ace clinched her career’s third Big Title. Last year, she won two back-to-back WTA 1000 titles. After her win over Clara Tauson at the Dubai Tennis Championships, the 19-year-old upset World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka in the Indian Wells Open. She did not reach another final last year.

Of course, first of all, congrats to Maja for these amazing three weeks. Passing through qualies, winning so many matches, beating so many great players- congrats to your team as well. You guys have done an amazing job.

Mirra Andreeva said during her on-court interview

Andreeva played her fourth final of the season in the French capital. After her win over Victoria Mboko in the Adelaide International, Andreeva went past Anastasia Potapova in the Linz Open final but failed to defeat Marta Kostyuk in the Madrid Open final.

You’re a very tricky opponent. I wouldn’t want to play against you one more time. I wish you the best of the luck for the rest of the season, and I hope we play. Okay, it’s fine. I hope we play many, many more finals together in the future.

Mirra Andreeva added

Andreeva won her career’s third singles clay-court title in Paris after the 2024 Iasi Open and this year’s Linz Open. Next is the grass swing, and Andreeva has never lifted a title on the surface.

Last year on the grass swing, Andreeva, after her opening-round exit in Berlin, fell in the quarterfinals of the Bad Homburg Open, and later at Wimbledon, Belinda Bencic ended her campaign in the quarterfinals.

Andreeva is a one-time Wimbledon quarterfinalist. She has also never played a grass-court final. Six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek will enter Wimbledon as the defending champion. She double-bagelled Amanda Anisimova in last year’s final.

Also read: Venus Williams Backs Maja Chwalinska to Complete Fairytale Run at Roland Garros: “It’s Definitely a Cinderella Story”