Maja Chwalińska's Cinderella Run Continues: Polish Qualifier Stuns Sakkari to Reach Roland Garros Fourth Round

A historic run in Paris

Maja Chwalińska's fairytale at Roland Garros 2026 extended into the second week after the Polish qualifier rallied from a set down to defeat Greece's Maria Sakkari in the third round. The 24-year-old from Dąbrowa Górnicza, who had to navigate three qualifying matches just to enter the main draw, has now eliminated Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng, 23rd seed Elise Mertens, and former world No. 3 Sakkari in succession. Her achievement places her in elite Polish company: in the Open era, only Iga Świątek and Agnieszka Radwańska had previously reached the second week of the clay-court major.

I am delighted and proud. I don't even know how to comment on it, because we didn't expect her to go this far.

Turning the tide against Sakkari

The match on Court Simonne Mathieu began disastrously for Chwalińska, who committed 14 unforced errors in a lopsided 1-6 opening set. Her coach, Jaroslav Machovsky, noted that her shots lacked energy and pace. The turnaround came early in the second set when Sakkari made several errors and Chwalińska adjusted her tactics, hitting more through her forehand and dictating play. By the third set, the Greek player was visibly frustrated, gesticulating toward her box as Chwalińska's confidence and precision grew. The Pole saved three break points at 2-1 in the decider, winning five straight points to hold serve, then broke again and closed out the match on her first match point.

I felt a bit better when I was leading 3-2 in the second set. I somehow got more into the match. That was the moment when I started playing more aggressively, dictating the conditions.

Physical and mental resilience

Chwalińska has now played six matches in Paris over two weeks under punishing conditions, with the city gripped by a severe heatwave. Her coach Machovsky, visibly emotional and drenched in sweat after the match, marveled at her recovery capacity. "I don't know how such a small organism can recover energy so quickly," he said. The player herself admitted to feeling "dead" in the first set and battling herself throughout the contest. Saturday was expected to be the last day of extreme heat, and Chwalińska welcomed the Sunday rest day to regenerate before Monday's fourth-round clash.

I am overjoyed. I don't think I know another person her age who has gotten up so many times and survived so many difficult moments in her career.

A coach's remote touch and a mother's pride

Chwalińska's collaboration with coach Tomasz Ryszczuk — who primarily works with Iga Świątek — is largely remote, with daily contact and in-person sessions scheduled around his main commitments. Ryszczuk emphasized that the key change has been Chwalińska's newfound belief that her game can compete with anyone. Meanwhile, her mother Marcela, attending her first high-level tournament, admitted she had to leave the court during earlier matches due to nerves but managed to stay for the entire Sakkari encounter. She vowed to remain in Paris as long as her daughter plays — and as long as her boss grants her leave.

Corporate support and what's next

After Chwalińska joked in a post-match interview that she hoped she had enough money for an extended stay, Polish sports-drink company Oshee — a sponsor of Iga Świątek — responded on Instagram by booking her a hotel and arranging accommodation for her mother. "Maja, focus on the game, we'll take care of the rest," the company wrote. Chwalińska is now virtually ranked 75th in the world, guaranteeing her debut in the WTA top 100. Her next opponent will be either sixth-seeded American Amanda Anisimova or France's Diane Parry, with a quarterfinal berth at stake.