Eight-time Grand Slam champion Andre Agassi stepped forward with a message for Maja Chwalinska following her Roland Garros final defeat, reminding the Polish qualifier exactly what her run meant to the sport.

Andre Agassi, who was working as a studio analyst for TNT Sports during the French Open, addressed Chwalinska after her Final loss to Mirra Andreeva.

"Well, if you don't know why you deserve it, let me help you understand that. You qualified and got to the finals, one of the toughest challenges in all of our sport. Don't be distracted by those articles. Don't be distracted by wins and losses. Keep making yourself better because you're a gift to this sport."

Agassi’s message had significance. Chwalinska is just the second qualifier in the Open Era to reach a Grand Slam final, joining an exclusive group that includes Venus Williams and Emma Raducanu as the third player to reach her first WTA-level final at a Slam.

It was a tough afternoon in the final. Chwalinska was leading 3-2 in the first set before Mirra Andreeva took nine games in a row to win 6-3, 6-2.

Chwalinska discussed Andreeva’s level of play in her presser after the match.

"I felt like I have no weapon against her today. She definitely handled wind much better than me, and she played so smart."

The admission followed a tournament in which Chwalinska notched her first four top 50 wins, matched her entire career tour-level main draw win total in one Slam, and leaves Paris to rise to World No. 21, a jump of 93 places from her No. 114 ranking entering the draw, along with a €1.4 million prize cheque.

The rise in the rankings is only part of the story. What Chwalinska has built in confidence over three weeks in Paris could define her entire summer.

What Comes Next for Maja Chwalinska After Her Roland Garros Run

Maja Chwalinska accepts her evolution thanks to Paris. Three weeks and ten matches at Roland Garros have quietly strengthened her foundation of confidence. Chwalinska broke into the top 25 at No. 21. Now, qualifying matches are a thing of the past.

"I'm not going to play anything before grass, that's before Wimbledon, that's for sure. I definitely need some time to recharge."

Rest is prioritized before Wimbledon. Maja Chwalinska is confident in her movement on grass, as well as her slice and touch.

She knows a wild card is waiting. The cutoff date to enter Wimbledon passed before the conclusion of Roland Garros, meaning that Chwalinska was still set to qualify in Paris as an unseeded player.

With her new ranking, Chwalinska would be a seed; however, Chwalinska is not one to expect anything. With Paris behind her, only the future will tell.

Do you think Chwalinska can carry this Roland Garros form into Wimbledon? Comment down below.

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Written by

Utsav Gupta

Edited by

Utsav Gupta