A 24-year-old Polish tennis player arrived in Paris last week ranked 114th in the world, with no sponsors, no guaranteed income, and no certainty she could even pay for her hotel room.
She had to win three qualifying matches just to enter the French Open main draw. Prize money is only paid at the end of the tournament, so a Polish sports drink brand quietly stepped in and covered her hotel bill.
Her name is Maja Chwalinska. And today, she plays in the French Open final.
Before this tournament, she had won exactly one Grand Slam main draw match in her entire career. She had battled depression so severe that in 2021 she couldn't get out of bed. She underwent knee surgery in 2022. She spent years grinding through small tournaments across Europe just to stay afloat.
Then she arrived in Paris, won three qualifiers, and kept winning. Zheng Qinwen. Elise Mertens. Maria Sakkari. Diana Shnaider. Nine straight matches. One set dropped.
She is now the first qualifier in French Open history to reach the final. The last time a qualifier reached a Grand Slam final, it was Emma Raducanu at the 2021 US Open. Raducanu won.
By simply making the final, Chwalinska has earned more prize money than her entire career combined. The runner-up cheque alone is $1.6 million. If she wins today, she takes home $3.25 million.
One week ago she couldn't pay for her hotel room.
Hello everyone
This is a cry for help!!
I’m begging everyone to come to my aid. My mom is battling with stage 3 metastatic breast cancer, she’s yet to undergo chemo due to lack of funds. pls if you can't donate RT and share. I can't lose my mom. 🙏🏽❣️ https://t.co/Gr4apiI2bl
I don’t have money to offer but I will report till your helper sees it
I will pray for you too, sending you lots of love, hugs and and prayers in this difficult situation 🥹🙏❤️
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I’m not asking for a contract. I’m asking for 7 days on trial to show you what I can do. If I’m not good enough, I’ll walk away with no hard feelings.
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This was my sister before cancer, full of life and dreams
Now she’s fighting Hodgkin’s lymphoma and going through chemotherapy at just 22years. 🥹🥹
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Nothing is too small
keep sharing and donating 🙏🏾🙏🏾
in light of this news i'm begging you all to please come to my aid, my mom is DYING! My mom is battling with stage 3 metastatic breast cancer, she’s yet to undergo chemotherapy due to lack of funds. pls if you can't donate RT & share. I can't lose my mom. https://t.co/iCHkq5bljo
If You Have a Nigerian Passport And Plan On Traveling To The USA Soon, You Need To Hear This. Even If You Got Your Visa Before The Presidential Proclamation, You Could Still Face Serious Issues At Entry…👀🇺🇸🇳🇬