Russian Mira Andreeva celebrates after winning the women’s tennis final against Poland’s Maja Chwalinska at the French Open in Paris, Saturday, June 6, 2026. (AP)
Young Mira Andreeva won her first Grand Slam title, on Saturday, by defeating Polish qualifier Maja Cwalinska 6-3, 6-2 in the women’s singles final at the French Open, becoming the first Russian to win a Grand Slam title since Maria Sharapova won the tournament in 2014.With this victory, Andreeva (19 years old) became the youngest player to win the women’s singles title at the French Open since Monica Seles, who was 18 years old when she won her third consecutive title at Roland Garros in 1992.Cwalinska, ranked 114th in the world, was aiming to become the first qualifier to win the French Open title. However, Andreeva took control of the match, winning a backhand winner on her first point of the tournament before dropping to her knees on the clay in celebration.The final came at the end of a tournament in which Andreeva continued the rise that began when she burst onto the scene as a 15-year-old at the 2023 Madrid Open. There, she became the third-youngest player to win a main draw match at a WTA 1000 event and reached the quarterfinals.
In recent years, Andreeva has competed without the Russian flag and under neutral status due to the war in Ukraine. During the semifinals, she beat Marta Kostyuk, who did not shake hands with her after the match, continuing the practice that Ukrainian women’s players have followed against Russian opponents since 2022.
In winning the title, Andreeva also surpassed the achievement of her coach, former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez, who finished second at the French Open in 2000. Former champion Mary Pierce, who beat Martinez in that final, presented the trophy to Andreeva.The match was played under mostly sunny skies, although strong winds affected both players in their first Grand Slam final.Chwalinska started the match tensely and committed a double fault on the first point of the match, but she became the first player to hold serve when she won the fifth game. As the match progressed, Andreeva better adapted to the conditions and found answers to Chwalinska’s combination of spin, drop shots and versatility.The tournament concludes on Sunday when Alexander Zverev faces Flavio Copoli in the men’s singles final.
