Qualifier Maja Chwalinska secures a fairytale place in the 2026 French Open final with a win over 25th seed Diana Shnaider on Court Philippe-Chatrier

D. Shnaider vs M. Chwalinska | Roland-Garros

Women's Singles | Semi-final | 04.06.2026 | Court Philippe-Chatrier

Finished

D. Shnaider (25)

M. Chwalinska

6⁴

7⁷

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18:28

MAJA CHWALINSKA REACTS TO REACHING THE 2026 FRENCH OPEN FINAL

”(It’s) like a dream honestly, I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t know what to say, I’m sorry, I’m just very happy."

Asked about how she feels physically and mentally at this stage after icing through qualifying, she says: ”Not great. I won’t lie. It’s so challenging to play against the best players in the world day by day.

"But it’s a Grand Slam so you’ve just to give your all and I’m not complaining at all."

On if she has any secret weapons planned for the final against Mirra Andreeva: "There are no secrets. I watched Mirra a bit, they were playing before us, so I watched her game, I mean it was incredible.

"It's just another great experience for me and I will for sure give my all. It's a Grand Slam final, so I mean..."

She adds that she gives off that she is calm on the outside but inside there is 'a storm' and bats away the question about preparing for the final and adds that she just wants to enjoy this one (win) at the moment.

Highlights: Watch as Andreeva reaches maiden Grand Slam final with emphatic win over Kostyuk

Video credit: TNT Sports

TNT Sports is the exclusive French Open broadcaster in the UK and Ireland. Coverage of every court will be available to stream live on HBO Max

18:20

MAJA STATS

Chwalinska is the third player in the Open Era to reach her maiden WTA level final in a Major after Venus Williams (US Open 1997) and Emma Raducanu (US Open 2021).
Chwalinska is the fourth Women’s Singles left-handed finalist at Roland Garros since 1990 after Monica Seles, Lucie Safarova and Marketa Vondrousova (the last to achieve the feat in 2019).

All stats courtesy of Opta.

18:17

GAME, SET AND MATCH! – SHNAIDER 6-7 4-6 CHWALINSKA

What a story!

The world number 114, Maja Chwalinksa is into the 2026 French Open final!

The qualifier continues her fairytale run with a hard-fought victory over Aryna Sabalenka’s slayer, Diana Shnaider.

The Pole serves out to 15 on her first match to seal a stunning victory in two hours and nine minutes and will now meet eighth seed Mirra Andreeva in the final.

18:14

BREAK! – SHNAIDER 6-7 4-5 CHWALINSKA

The alarm bells blare for Diana as she struggles to control a deep, looping approach down the middle to her baseline and spears a backhand into the net.

Maja then showcases all of that variety and clay-court prowess, moving into the forecourt with a deft dropper and an angled pass on the volley to earn two break points.

She needs just one as that now trademark velvety dropper does the trick again!

The dream remains ON as the qualifier will now serve for a place in the final!

18:10

SHNAIDER 6-7 4-4 CHWALINSKA

Shnaider blinks first in a tense backhand-to-backhand change and Maja pulls free with a composed backhand down the line.

The 25th seed replies with a sumptuous drop shot from deep but then booms way long as the backhand malfunctions again.

Chwalinska double faults but then comes up clutch with a first serve to level up to 30.

18:03

MEDICAL TIME-OUT

Now it's Shnaider's turn to ask for the trainer.

The Russian appears to have a lower back issue.

18:00

SHNAIDER 6-7 4-3 CHWALINSKA

Shnaider pummels a pair of beastly backhands down the line to turn the game after losing the opening point of the game.

The 25th seed makes a treble with a missile down that same flank and keeps her nose in front when the qualifier can’t deal with a deep inside-in forehand.

17:58

SHNAIDER 6-7 3-3 CHWALINSKA

Maja zaps a lovely forehand down the on her way to a solid hold to 15, which will be all the more welcome given she’s in energy-conservation mode at the moment.

17:52

SHNAIDER 6-7 3-2 CHWALINSKA

The TNT Sports commentary team of Anne Keothavong and Naomi Cavaday speculate over the fatigue of Maja as she seems to have lost some of scrap and willingness to chase and hustle.

The Pole lets a dropper go without moving and then bunts off the island to allow Shnaider to easily hold to 15.

Could it be a case of waiting for medication to work or is the tank empty? It’s certainly one to keep an eye on as this set develops.

17:49

SHNAIDER 6-7 2-2 CHWALINSKA

Chwalinska stays ice-cool as she lassos a crosscourt forehand winner beyond her opponent’s reach to post a hold to 15 and tie the set at two apiece.

17:43

SHNAIDER 6-7 2-1 CHWALINSKA

Shnaider makes an early move forward at 15-30 and angles away a couple of lovely volleys, which has Anne Koevanthong suggesting that’s what the Russian needs to do more of on TNT Sports comms.

The 25th seed has not gone away mentally and she lands a super crosscourt forehand to clinch the comeback hold to 30.

Meanwhile, Maja has called for the trainer and the doctor and receives some medication for feeling unwell.

17:42

VIDEO: THE POLISH QUALIFIER MOVES TO WITHIN ONE SET OF THE FINAL

'What a turnaround' - Watch dramatic moment Chwalinska wins first set in tie-break

Video credit: TNT Sports

TNT Sports is the exclusive French Open broadcaster in the UK and Ireland. Coverage of every court will be available to stream live on HBO Max

17:39

BREAK! – SHNAIDER 6-7 1-1 CHWALINSKA

Chwalinska fights to Pulp (30-30) with a careful forehand down the line after the drop-shot lob combo had again bamboozled her opponent.

The Pole fluffs her lines when she mis-times a loopy forehand wide and can’t do anything to deny the Russian the break back when she booms a big forehand down the line.

17:35

BREAK! – SHNAIDER 6-7 0-1 CHWALINSKA

Shnaider returns from a lengthy period off court between sets where she will have attempted to reset and refocus - but she’s immediately under pressure.

Maja chalks up two break points with fierce forehand to the corner.

The Pole ten demonstrates that remarkable sliding defence from deep to work her way back and force the Russian into an uncomfortable volley that she dumps straight into the net.

17:26

SET! - SHNAIDER 6-7 CHWALINSKA

What a turnaround!

Maja sneaks to the net to surprise Diana and pop away a lovely volley.

The Pole follows with a thumping mid-court forehand and moves 6-4 up from 4-2 down with an improvised lob off another one of her famed droppers.

Diana has no answer and the qualifier makes it five points in a row to take the breaker 7-4 and with it an enthralling one hour and 17-minute opener.

17:20

TIE-BREAK LATEST: SHNAIDER 4-2 CHWALINSKA

After an early exchange of mini breaks, it’s Shnaider who takes charge at 3-1 when Maja contrives to blast a forecourt forehand long.

The Pole reduces the arrears with a devilish drop shot but is unlocked in a 23-shot epic as a thunderous backhand down the line ensures Diana leads at the change of ends.

17:16

SHNAIDER 6-6 CHWALINSKA

There’s an urgency in the tone of Shnaider’s coaching team as she looks to reset after double faulting to leave the door ajar at 30-30.

The Russian sizzles a crosscourt backhand to force a strained riposte long from the Pole and then gets lucky with a net cord to surge on to a weak pick-up and flash the cross-court forehand winner.

17:10

SHNAIDER 5-6 CHWALINSKA

Maja strains to her right and pulls off an exceptional stretch volley to deny Diana an opening at 15-15.

The Russian balloons a loose, loopy backhand long to give the Pole breathing space, but the 25th seed roars back to press at deuce courtesy of a wrong-footing drive volley.

The qualifier blinks with her third double fault of the contest but just about survives when Shnaider sizzles a backhand up the line a whisker long.

Diana earns a second bite of the cherry with an exquisite drop shot but eventually fires a backhand just long and screams at her team in frustration.

Maja looks to darken her opponent’s mood with a sumptuous drop shot and then plays her get-out-of-jail-free card with a counter-punched backhand deep down the line.

17:00

SHNAIDER 5-5 CHWALINSKA

Shnaider remains rock solid as she romps through a game to 15 with this set very much up for grabs now.

16:57

SHNAIDER 4-5 CHWALINSKA

Maja double faults and shunts an indecisive half volley into the net to feel some heat from 30-0 up.

The Pole responds in an all-court rally as she races back in from her retrieval of a lob to push away a forehand winner off the Russian’s deft drop volley.

Diana looks to keep the pressure on but dances around the ball to unload on an inside-in forehand and drills it straight into the net.