Polish tennis player Maja Chwalińska made French Open history Thursday, becoming the first qualifier to ever reach the women's singles final. Ranked 114th in the world, Chwalinska defeated 25-seed Diana Shnaider in straight sets, 7-6 (4), 6-4, in the semifinals. She will face 8-seed Mirra Andreeva, who easily defeated 15-seed Marta Kostyuk, 6-1. 6-3.
Chwalińska, 24, has been on tour for six years and had never advances past a second round in any Grand Slam event. With a finish of no worse than runner-up, she will earn at least $1.64 million, twice what she's earned in her career to date.
My take: Terrific story. Life changing for her. Hopefully, she can finish it off, but she'll be a heavy underdog to the 19-year-old Andreeva, who's been playing consistently good tennis in singles and doubles for the last year-plus.
THE ASYLUM
Chwalińska makes tennis history
Polish tennis player Maja Chwalińska made French Open history Thursday, becoming the first qualifier to ever reach the women's singles final. Ranked 114th in the world, Chwalinska defeated 25-seed Diana Shnaider in straight sets, 7-6 (4), 6-4, in the semifinals. She will face 8-seed Mirra Andreeva, who easily defeated 15-seed Marta Kostyuk, 6-1. 6-3.
Chwalińska, 24, has been on tour for six years and had never advances past a second round in any Grand Slam event. With a finish of no worse than runner-up, she will earn at least $1.64 million, twice what she's earned in her career to date.
My take: Terrific story. Life changing for her. Hopefully, she can finish it off, but she'll be a heavy underdog to the 19-year-old Andreeva, who's been playing consistently good tennis in singles and doubles for the last year-plus.
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