Mumbai: In the 135 years of the French Open’s existence, a great generalisation has emerged regarding which players the crowds tend to cheer for. Either French or the underdog.
By Wednesday, there was no French player left in the women’s singles draw. But the two underdogs that played in each of the two quarter-finals on Court Philippe-Chatrier certainly gave the Parisian fans a lot to cheer about.
The day’s schedule began with Poland’s 24-year-old Maja Chwalinska, who came into the tournament as a qualifier ranked 114 in the world, beating 22nd seed Anna Kalinskaya of Russia 7-6(3), 6-3.
It was followed by the biggest upset in the women’s field as 25th seed Diana Shnaider came from behind to beat world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka 3-6, 7-5, 6-0. It was a win that ensured there will be a first-time Grand Slam champion in both the men’s and women’s singles events for the first time at the same Major since the 2021 US Open, and the second time since the 2004 French Open.
After an opening week that came with a heatwave and chaos, Paris on Wednesday was cooled by a strong wind. Yet no gust of air could predict which way the quarter-finals would swing on the day.
Chwalinska became the fifth women’s singles player since 1990 to reach the Roland Garros semi-final in her main draw debut. She is also the second-lowest ranked women’s singles player to reach the last four after France’s then No.361 Lois Boisson reached the semis last year. She also is only the second qualifier, after Nadia Podoroska in 2020, to reach the semis at Roland Garros.
“Nobody knows me, to be honest,” she had joked earlier in the tournament.
It is unsurprising for a Polish player to have made it this far in the competition. What was unthought of was that it would be the childhood friend of four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek.
Chwalinska and Swiatek grew up together. They were teammates as Poland won the Junior Billie Jean King Cup in 2016, ended as runners-up in the girls doubles at the Junior Australian Open in 2017, and even made their professional debuts in the same tournament together – in Zawanda, Poland in 2015.
In 2021 though, Chwalinska took an indefinite break from the tour due to stress and depression.
“The break wasn’t very tough. The tough moments before the break were,” she said in the press conference after the quarter-final. “I pushed at the beginning, I thought that I need to stay very strong, tough, and just keep practicing. But then I couldn’t get out of bed anymore. I was just lifeless. I knew that I needed to take a break, otherwise I just wouldn’t be able to live. I didn’t know if I was going to come back or not. But after (four) months I decided to come back, and I’m happy that I did.”
From being ranked 114 in the world, she has guaranteed herself a break into the top 50 through her French Open run.
“My goal was to be in the top 100 this year. My goal here was to qualify,” she said. “I feel like I’m doing a good job. I didn’t expect it to happen this way. But I’m not complaining.”
Also not complaining is Shnaider.
The 22-year-old Russian is more established on the tour – she reached a career high No.11 last year. But there were a few firsts for her as well on Wednesday.
As Marion Bartoli, as the on-court interviewer, listed that Shnaider had beaten a reigning world No.1 for the first time and reached her first Grand Slam semi-final in the same match, the left-handed player raised her arms in celebration.
“Honestly, I’m speechless. I’m super happy. There were tough conditions with the wind. First time playing Aryna, I was super nervous. And quarter-finals for the first time,” she said.
Sabalenka, on a mission to win a first Major outside of a hard court, started well and clinched the first set with a few bumps along the way.
In the second, however, the wind picked up and threw her off her game. The errors started to increase – she would eventually concede 57 unforced errors. At the same time, Shnaider found her rhythm and started to hit aggressively and accurately. From trailing 3-5 in the second set and staring at a defeat, the Russian won the next 10 games to seal a famous win.
“In the third set, I finally found my rhythm – when to be more defensive, when to attack,” she said. “I feel like the third set is the one I should be aiming for from the beginning. But I’m happy to be finishing on a good note, and not start on a good note.”
Scorching Paris from a week ago has cooled down, just as the competition for the title heats up. On Wednesday though, the wind of change swept through the Roland Garros.
