Surprise French Open finalist Maja Chwalinska’s ‘free’ tattoo symbolizes her incredible journey

The tiny word “free” etched onto the left hand of Maja Chwalinska carries profound weight following her shocking run to the French Open final. The 24-year-old Polish qualifier, who arrived at Roland Garros as an outsider, has navigated a path that seemed impossible just weeks ago, transforming personal darkness into professional triumph.

Chwalinska secured her place in the final with a stunning semi-final victory over Diana Shnaider in Paris on Thursday. She now stands one win away from making history: she would become the first qualifier in the Open era to lift the Grand Slam trophy, joining Britain’s Emma Raducanu as the only qualifier to win a major title. When asked about the significance of her tattoo, Chwalinska remained private. “I will keep it to myself. You can make your own stories,” she said, though the timing suggests a deep connection to her recent recovery from depression.

Five years prior, Chwalinska took an indefinite break from tennis after suffering a first-round qualifying loss at Wimbledon. Plagued by depression that left her feeling lifeless and unable to get out of bed, she retreated to her family home and sought help from mental health specialists. Her return to the sport was gradual; she began with running and boxing as part of her rehabilitation before deciding to resume playing tennis four months later.

Since then, she has worked diligently through the lower levels of the WTA Tour. A year ago, she was competing in small tournaments in Italian cities like Brescia and Bari after exiting the French Open in the second round of qualifying. Her focus shifted toward mentally compartmentalizing her career—separating it from the “pressure, stress and crying” she once associated with the sport—from the rest of her life. This mental shift appears to have unlocked her potential, as she has now won nine consecutive matches at Roland Garros.

Her performance has captivated the Parisian crowds, playing with a freedom and joy that seems to embody her tattoo. She has secured notable victories over former French Open semi-finalist Maria Sakkari and Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, while also defeating three seeded players: Shnaider, Anna Kalinskaya, and Elise Mertens. Chwalinska’s game is versatile; she mixes variety and spin, using lobs, drop shots, and moonballs to distract opponents, yet can also hit with pace to finish points quickly.

“I feel like I'm in the bubble. I don't know what's going on. I'm just very happy to be here,” Chwalinska said. The emotional toll of her achievement was visible on court, particularly when she collapsed onto the clay after hitting a forehand winner down the line for match point against Shnaider. “I don't know what was going on in my head. Joy, surprise—so many emotions. I felt so overwhelmed,” she admitted.

Her success has also resonated deeply with Polish fans, who filled Court Philippe Chatrier to support her. Many had likely purchased tickets expecting four-time champion Iga Swiatek to compete; Swiatek is absent from the semi-finals for the first time since 2019. However, Chwalinska has filled that void for her nation. Swiatek and Chwalinska are close friends, having reached the 2017 Australian Open girls’ doubles final together and served as Junior Billie Jean King Cup teammates. They even made their professional debuts at the same ITF event in the small Polish town of Zawada in 2015.

Now, Chwalinska faces Russian eighth seed Mirra Andreeva in Saturday’s final. With the guarantee of winning at least £1.2m, she has nearly tripled her career prize money. “After the tournament there will be time to process it and breathe in, breathe out,” she said, suggesting that while the immediate moment is surreal, the true meaning of her journey—her freedom—will be fully realized in the aftermath.

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-06-04 20:03:05 UTC