The women's singles competition at the 2026 French Open (total prize money 61.723 million euros) has come down to a clash between "teen star" Mirra Andreeva (No. 8, Russia) and "qualifier" Maya Chwalinska (No. 114, Poland).
Andreeva reached the final by defeating Marta Kostyuk (No. 15, Ukraine) 2-0 (6-1, 6-3) in the women's singles semifinal on day 12 of the tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, on the 4th (local time). In the following match, Chwalinska beat Diana Shnaider (No. 23, Russia) 2-0 (7-6, 6-4).
The 19-year-old Andreeva is regarded as a next-generation flagship player in women's tennis. After turning professional in 2022, she demonstrated her prowess as a top contender, advancing to the round of 16 at Wimbledon in 2023, her first year competing on the major stage. At the French Open, she reached the round of 32 in 2023, the semifinals in 2024, and the quarterfinals last year. This year marks the first time Andreeva has reached a major final.
Andreeva claimed her 35th win of the season, racing to sole first place for the most wins on the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Tour this year. She leads second-place Elina Svitolina (Ukraine) by three wins. Andreeva's strengths are her power and technique. While mind control had been cited as a weakness, this year she has dominated the court with a much calmer demeanor. She is considered to have changed after recruiting Conchita Martinez (Spain), regarded as a renowned coach, in 2024.
After the semifinal, Andreeva said, "Today I was so focused that I could even see the fuzz on the ball. I'm really happy to have reached my first major final of my life."
The 24-year-old Chwalinska is the protagonist of the tournament's biggest upset. Making her debut in the French Open main draw, she reached the final by dropping only a single set across nine matches over three weeks, including three qualifying matches. Before this tournament, she had managed just one career win at majors (Wimbledon 2022), and her total wins in WTA Tour clay-court matches stood at two.
In this tournament, her tenacious play that does not let opponents' mistakes slip by has been shining. Chwalinska became the first player to reach the French Open final through qualifying since 1968, when professional players were allowed to compete in major tournaments (the Open Era).
After securing her spot in the final, Chwalinska said, "It's like a dream. I'll sleep well and drink tea," adding, "And I'll watch something good, probably a tennis match. I think I'm a bit of a tennis fanatic."
The final will be held on the 6th.
