Polish qualifier beats Diana Schneider to reach Roland Garros final

Polish tennis player Maja Hwalinska advanced to the final of Roland Garros today, after defeating Russian player Diana Schneider 7:6 (4), 6:4.

The match between Schneider and Hvalinska, ranked 23rd and 114th in the world, lasted two hours and 10 minutes.

Hvalinska, who reached the main draw of the second Grand Slam through qualifying, was the first to break in the match, in the fourth game.

In the very next game, Schneider returned the break, and the tennis players then held their serves until the tie-break.

In the extra game, Schneider led 4:3, but Hvalinska turned the tables with a series of four consecutive points and took the lead in the sets.

Khvalinska broke her opponent's serve in the first game of the second set, but the Russian player immediately fought back.

The 24-year-old Pole gained a key advantage with a break in the ninth game.

This is Hvalinska's best result in her career, and she became only the second qualifier to reach the final of a Grand Slam tournament.

Before her, only Briton Emma Radukan did it, who advanced from qualifying to the US Open title in 2021.

Khvalinska will meet another Russian in the final of the tournament on the Paris clay court on Saturday - Mira Andreeva (eighth in the world), who was better than Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk (15th on the WTA list) with 6:1, 6:3.