Mirra Andreeva won her first Grand Slam title on Saturday by downing Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska in straight sets in the French Open final.
The 19-year-old Russian beat Chwalinska 6-3, 6-2 to become the youngest Roland Garros women’s singles champion since Monica Seles, then aged 18, won her third straight title in Paris in 1992.
With her first-ever major crown, Andreeva also became the first player, man or woman, born after 2005 to win a Grand Slam.
The Coupe Suzanne Lenglen will now take centre spot in Andreeva’s burgeoning trophy cabinet, which already features two WTA 1000 titles.
“I’ve been watching Roland Garros on TV since I was very, very young, so it’s also a big dream of mine to win this tournament and I honestly cannot believe that I’m holding this trophy right now,” Andreeva said on court, before thanking her team and notably her psychologist.
“Congrats to Maja for these amazing three weeks, passing through qualies, winning so many matches, beating so many great players.”
Defeat at the final hurdle brought to an end an astonishing run which started in qualifying for Chwalinska, who won nine matches in the French capital to become the first qualifier to reach the final in the Open era.
“I will definitely not forget these three weeks,” she said. “Paris will stay forever in my heart.”
However, the world number 114’s career will now be on a different stratosphere as she will climb to 21 in the rankings and be assured of competing regularly in tennis’ biggest tournaments.
“Congrats to Mirra, you’re such an incredible player. You’re so young and talented, it’s so annoying,” Chwalinska said.
“Congrats to you, congrats to your team for an amazing job, and I wish you all the best in the future.
“I wish (the spectators) could see a better match today, but Mirra was just too good for me, so I guess it’s her fault.”
True grit
Chwalinska displayed some early nerves as she dumped two serves straight into the net on the very first point of the match.
Both players seemed to be struggling with the occasion, a situation not helped by blustery conditions on centre court, as four consecutive breaks of serve started the match.
First Chwalinska then Andreeva held as they continued to probe each other in their first meeting.
The Russian dug in and moved back into the ascendancy as she showed the greater consistency of the pair to win the next three games.
Two Andreeva errors and an unplayable drop shot gave the Pole the chance to instantly wipe out that advantage but the teen showed serious mettle to pull off a battling hold and at 3-0 the writing looked on the wall for Chwalinska.
Andreeva then rattled through the next two games to move to the brink.
But Chwalinska refused to give in and held to make it 5-1, before breaking Andreeva as she served for the match.
However, the new world number six was not to be denied as she pounced in the very next game to claim the biggest trophy so far of her fledgling career.
A backhand winner sent her crumpling to her knees as she surpassed her coach Conchita Martinez’s 2000 runner-up finish at Roland Garros.
The winner of that duel, Mary Pierce, was present for the trophy ceremony, a fact not lost on Andreeva despite it taking place nearly seven years before her birth.
“I don’t know if I should thank you, Mary, as you beat my coach here in the final,” she quipped.
“But I’m joking of course, thank you so much! “
