Andreeva controls qualifier Chwalinska to win French Open

Mirra Andreeva won a battle of first-time Grand Slam finalists on Saturday as the teenager ended the miracle run of Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska 6-3, 6-2 to win the French Open.

The eighth seed, who will rise to sixth in the rankings, emerged from a tight opening set to rip  through the second against a No. 114 opponent who will climb to just outside the top 20 after her breakthrough fortnight on the clay.

Andreeva, 19, is the youngest champion here since 18-year-old Monica Seles in 1992; she claimed the last four games of a windswept final to claim the trophy.

Wearing a jacket reading “I want to thank myself,”  the winner admitted that she had been plagued by nerves throughout her trophy run.

“I  want to thank myself for believing in myself, always giving my 100 per cent even when it is tough.

“I was fighting so many demons inside of me. Only I know who tough it was for me, how nervous I was over these weeks.

Chwalinska was the first qualifier to get this far in Paris and came within one match victory of duplicating the title run of Emma Raducanu,who won the 2021 US Open from a qualifying start.

She came to Paris with only one career win at a Grand Slam.

“Mirra is so incredible – young and talented – it’s so annoying,” she joked. 

The Pole told the Paris crowd: “I wish you could have seen a better match today, but Mirra was just too good for me – I did my best, I’m sorry.”

The challenger was competing in only her third main draw at the majors and reached the Roland Garros title match after losing just one set over nine matches.

Andreeva won her third title of the season, pulling level at the top of the table with Aryna Sbalenka.

The trophy was presented by former French player Mary Pierce, who won Roland Garros in 2000 by defeating Andreeva’s coach Conchita Martinez.

“It was a big dream to win this trophy,” Andreeva said. “I used to watch it on TV when I was very young. 

“This tournament is very special for me, I can’t believe I’m holding this trophy now.”

Andreeva also thanked her psychologist in Florida, presumably watching the match. I know I can be a tough cookie sometimes and it’s hard to put up with me as well.”

The pair spent the first four games of the match feeling out each other’s game and dealing with a swirling wind inside the Chatrier stadium.

Andreeva finally moved into command with two more breaks of her opponent to claim the set after more than three-quarters of an hour.

She increased the tempo in the second set, saving break points in the third game and taking a 5-0 lead.

The youngster was broken while serving for victory, but closed out the win a game later with a break-back as Chwalinska mis-hit a shot on match point.

Main photo:- Mirra Andreeva sinks to he knees as she wins maiden Slam at Roland Garros – by Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd