Maja Chwalinska has climbed 93 places in the world rankings thanks to her run to the French Open final
Maja Chwalinska's French Open ended almost three weeks after it started – but her journey to the brink of a first Grand Slam title began long before that.
A former Australian Open junior doubles finalist alongside fellow Pole Iga Swiatek, Chwalinska has spoken openly about the depression that led her to take a break from tennis early in her professional career.
In the build-up to Roland Garros, she was playing events on the second tier of the women's tour across Europe.
Her French Open campaign began in the first round of qualifying on Monday, 18 May. Nine wins later, only teenager Mirra Andreeva stood in the way of Chwalinska becoming just the second qualifier to win a Grand Slam singles title in the Open era.
It was not to be for Chwalinska, who fell 6-3 6-2 to Andreeva on Saturday, but finishing runner-up will have a profound effect on her life and career.
She will climb from 114th in the world to a new high of 21st on Monday, while her Roland Garros prize money of 1.4m euros (£1.21m) is almost double what she had previously earned in her entire career.
"It's been 18 years of hard work, patience and perseverance," said 24-year-old Chwalinska, who took up tennis as a young girl.
"I had to go through so much to be in this position. Life is weird sometimes and you've just got to do your thing and believe it will click someday, and I'm happy that it did.
"It is definitely an unforgettable three weeks for me. I'll never forget it."
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The final against Russian eighth seed Andreeva was only Chwalinska's 20th match at WTA Tour level and the first time she had faced a top-10 player in her career.
She began the tournament without a kit sponsor, while a Polish drinks company had to step in and help cover her accommodation costs for an extended stay in the French capital.
Now a Grand Slam finalist, the attention on her is sure to grow.
"It will be different, but I think and hope I'll adapt," she said.
"I'm definitely very grateful for this time but it's in the past now. I just need to continue to stay present and give my all to be a better player every day."
Seven-time French Open women's singles champion Chris Evert told TNT Sports that Chwalinska's achievement in reaching the final was "just as impressive as Andreeva winning her first Slam".
The American added: "I think she ran out of steam a bit today, but she came out of nowhere.
"I loved watching her play – she was entertaining, versatile and she created shots we haven't seen since the 1970s."
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Chwalinska has climbed to the fringes of the world's top 20 with her Roland Garros run but she is not guaranteed to make the main draw at Wimbledon as she was outside the top 100 at the cut-off time for entries.
It means she will again have to go through qualifying – unless she is awarded a main-draw wildcard for the tournament, which begins on 29 June.
Wildcards are usually reserved for British players, those who have performed well previously on grass and notable high-profile players.
France's Lois Boisson, who was ranked 361st in the world when she reached the French Open semi-finals last year, did not get a wildcard and subsequently lost in the first round of qualifying.
Asked about the prospect of a SW19 wildcard, Chwalinska said: "I don't expect it, but I'll see. I will treat it as a challenge.
"It's a new surface. I don't have much time, but I'll give my all and we'll see.
"But I'm excited. Grass is always a nice kind of change."
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