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Mirra Andreeva Becomes Youngest Roland Garros Champion in 34 Years

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Mirra Andreeva Becomes Youngest Roland Garros Champion in 34 Years
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Mirra Andreeeva’s ascension up the ranks of women’s tennis has come rapidly in the last few years.

Now the world No. 8 is a Grand Slam champion at the age of 19.

The Russian teenager became the youngest Roland Garros champion since Monica Seles in 1992 (18) when she dominated Polish qualifier Maja Chwalińska, 6-3, 6-2 to win the title. She only dropped one set en route to the title.

Andreeva managed the windy conditions well, mixing in a strong serve with a forehand slice and even some moon balls.

Andreeva, appearing in her first major final, was the first teenager to reach the Roland Garros final since Coco Gauff in 2022. She was the first player born after 2005 to reach a major final (men or women).

She will take home $3.25 million with the trophy, while Chwalińska, the daughter of an electrician in a coal mine and a receptionist at a sports facility, doubled her career prize money and takes home $1.624 million.

Andreeva is the sixth straight different major winner in the last six majors, and the third straight different champion at Roland Garros.

Chwalinska was the lowest-ranked women’s finalist ever at Roland Garros. Perhaps worn out from her run to the final, she wasn’t able to put up much of a fight.

In 2021, according to Reuters, Chwalinska announced that “she had been suffering with depression for over 18 months and was stepping ​away from the court.”

“I pushed at the beginning. I thought that I just need to stay very ​strong, tough, and just keep practicing,” Chwalinska told reporters in Paris.

“But then I just ⁠couldn’t get out of bed anymore. I was just lifeless, to be honest. I knew that I need to ​take a break, because otherwise I’m just not able to live,” she added.

“I honestly didn’t know if I’m gonna come back or ​not. After, like, months, I decided to come back. I needed to figure out a few things in my head, I would say. And I came back. I’m happy that I did.”

Andreeva fell behind 2-3 in the first set but proceeded to reel off four straight games, winning the first set with a wicked crosscourt backhand winner to break for 6-3.

She converted 4-of-7 break chances in the first set, hitting 14 winners to 12 unforced errors.

In the second set, Andreeva held from 0-40 down to go ahead 3-0.

Serving for the match at 5-1, she was broken.

On triple match point on Chwalinska’s serve, she broke with a backhand winner and then fell to the court on her knees.

This marks the first time since 1977 that no previous major champion has made the semis in either the men’s or women’s draw.

No. 2 Alexander Zverev faces No. 10 Flavio Cobolli in Sunday’s men’s final.

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