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French Open: Andreeva soars past Chwalinska to Roland-Garros glory

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Mirra Andreeva claimed the first major title of her career, following a straight-sets victory over qualifier Maja Chwalinska in the French Open final.

The teenager recovered from a slow start to eventually prevail as a commanding 6-3 6-2 winner after one hour and 22 minutes at Roland-Garros.

From 3-2 down in the opening set, Andreeva reeled off 10 of the next 12 games on Court Philippe-Chatrier to become the third-youngest women's singles grand slam champion in the 2000s, after Maria Sharapova and Emma Raducanu.

A first-time major champion was set to be crowned in Paris, with both players contesting their first such final.

Each of the opening four games went against the serve before Chwalinska – a conqueror of the likes of Qinwen Zheng and Maria Sakkari this fortnight – claimed a love hold to lead 3-2.

Andreeva looked shaky at that point, but the 19-year-old shook herself off and quickly flipped the first set in her favour, winning 16 of the next 20 points to reel off four straight games and move halfway towards victory.

The eighth seed picked up from where she left off, taking complete control of the second set, as the occasion appeared to catch up with her opponent.

Andreeva broke twice as she raced into a 5-0 lead, though a slight wobble in games six and seven allowed Chwalinska to stop the rot and keep her fading hopes alive.

Nevertheless, the teen soon regained her composure, with a timely break to love getting her over the line, and into the grand slam winners' enclosure. 

The teenage dream becomes a reality in Paris

Andreeva is the youngest women’s singles champion at Roland-Garros since Monica Seles (1992), who is one of only three players to claim their first title at the clay-court major at a younger age, along with Arantxa Sanchez Vicario (1989) and Steffi Graf (1987).

A former semi-finalist and quarter-finalist, only four players who started their careers in the Open Era have won more women's singles matches in their first four appearances at the French Open than Andreeva (18).

Things did not look too promising when Chwalinska – only the second qualifier to reach a major final in the Open Era, and third player overall from Poland after Agnieszka Radwanska and Iga Swiatek – led 3-2.

Chwalinska followed in the footsteps of Evonne Goolagong (1971) and Chris Evert (1973) as the only players to reach the French Open final on their first main-draw appearance, but the occasion would eventually catch up with her.

Andreeva took full advantage to eventually race away to victory, dropping just two games thereafter.

She only let 17 slip from the round of 16 onwards, a tally only bettered at Roland-Garros in the Open Era by Swiatek (2024 and 2020) and Graf (1988).