Russian teenager, Mirra Andreeva, defeated Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska 6-3, 6-2 to win the women’s singles title at the French Open in Paris on Saturday, becoming the youngest Roland Garros champion since Monica Seles in 1992.
The 19-year-old, ranked eighth in the world, capped a remarkable tournament run with a dominant display against the 114th-ranked Chwalinska on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Andreeva sealed victory with a brilliant backhand cross-court winner on match point before throwing her racket into the air and dropping to her knees in celebration.
Speaking during the trophy presentation, the Russian star delivered an emotional speech, thanking herself for her resilience throughout the tournament.
“I want to thank myself for believing in myself, always giving my 100 percent, even when it’s tough,” Andreeva said. “Only I know how tough it was for me and how nervous I was during these two weeks.”
Chwalinska, who was aiming to become the first qualifier to win the French Open title, praised her opponent during the ceremony.
“You’re so young and talented. It’s so annoying,” the Polish player joked.
Andreeva, who was born in Siberia before moving to Sochi and later France to further her tennis career, also received loud applause after addressing the crowd in French.
The teenager had long been tipped for Grand Slam success after bursting onto the scene at the 2023 Madrid Open as a 15-year-old sensation.
Her triumph in Paris comes despite competing under a neutral flag amid restrictions placed on Russian athletes following the war in Ukraine.
Andreeva dominated the final after recovering from an early 3-2 deficit, winning nine consecutive games to take control of the match.
She finished with 25 winners compared to Chwalinska’s 10 and committed fewer unforced errors.
Meanwhile, top seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos retained the men’s doubles title with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten.
