ROLAND GARROS

June 3, 2026

Maja Chwalinska

Press Conference

M. CHWALINSKA/A. Kalinskaya

7-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Maja, through to your first Grand Slam semifinal here at Roland Garros. Just focusing on today's match, what do you think you did well, and what gave you an advantage?

MAJA CHWALINSKA: Yeah, definitely very challenging one. The conditions were very tough. It was very windy today. You just need to be very focused, like, extra focused in these kind of conditions.

Yeah, I feel like what I did well was just stay calm when there was, like, 5-1 up and Anna, I think she started to play much more aggressive, and it was 5-All, I think.

I'm just very proud that I stayed composed, you know, and managed to win this set. Then the second set was just a battle. So I'm very happy, happy to win.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Emma Raducanu is the only woman to win a slam as a qualifier. You could emulate that this weekend. What do you remember of her run to the US Open five years ago? What inspiration do you think you're giving to people that perhaps have to come through the qualifying phases?

MAJA CHWALINSKA: Yeah, I mean, it was such an impressive run, you know. Also, she was so young. I think she was 19, right? Do I remember correctly? 18?

So, yeah, I think she didn't drop a set, as well. So it was just incredible.

Yeah, I mean, what was the question exactly? Inspiration? From her? Oh, for me. From her? In general?

Well, I feel like it's just, you know, I think the level is, like, very close, like, the qualifying is not like much worse than the main draw.

And the players in the qualifying, they are so good, as well. They are great competitors. We just need to kind of believe and, you know, fight and just believe that maybe some day it will click for us, as well.

Yeah, that's what I would take from this experience.

Q. You said on court after the match, you know, you couldn't believe it. Can you believe it now? How do you feel about it now? It's about an hour afterwards, but can you take it in that you've got this far?

MAJA CHWALINSKA: Not really (smiling). I feel like I just, for some reason, I don't process it, you know. Like, I'm just focusing on every single match. I honestly don't feel like it's, like, a huge, huge moment for me.

But definitely after the tournament finishes, I will kind of, like, have time to, I guess, be grateful for what happened and process it as well.

But, like, for now, I'm just very happy, but I know that I need to focus on the job.

Q. I think one of the shots that worked really effectively today was kind of your backhand slice in terms of the spin that you put on it when it would bounce on the clay. How do you think that shot has evolved for you over your career, and why do you think it worked effectively against Anna's game?

MAJA CHWALINSKA: You mean slice and topspin, my backhand?

Q. Yeah.

MAJA CHWALINSKA: I mean, it's just my game, you know. I just try to change the rhythm a lot. I feel like it's pretty tough to play against this kind of style, because you don't have any rhythm, and you just need to be very focused because every ball can be different.

Yeah, I'm aware that it can be very annoying for other players. I just try to use it as much as I can.

Q. I know people have kind of been talking about the time you took away from the sport for your mental health. I wonder what mental work you're kind of doing now as you're, like you said, in this very overwhelming situation and such a different part of your career? You don't seem overwhelmed at all.

MAJA CHWALINSKA: Well, to be honest, I'm not into social media, I would say. Yeah, I feel like it would be too much for me at this moment. So that's one of the things that I'm doing now is just I post, and then I quit (smiling).

Yeah, other than that, I have great people around me, you know, that are with me, like, for many, many, many years. So I can trust them and, you know, tell them anything that I feel, be honest. So I feel like it's crucial in this situation.

Yeah, that's pretty much it (smiling).

Q. I wanted to ask you about your time away from the sport and just how difficult was that? I guess it must be such a contrast to everything you're kind of living now.

MAJA CHWALINSKA: Well, the break wasn't very tough. Like, the tough moments were before the break, I would say. I was struggling a lot.

You know, I pushed at the beginning. I thought that I just need to stay very strong, tough, and just keep practicing.

Yeah, but then I just couldn't get out of bed anymore. I was just, like, lifeless, to be honest.

Yeah, I knew that I need to take a break, because otherwise I'm just not able to, like, live, I think. Yeah, I needed to take a break, and I honestly didn't know if I'm gonna come back or not, to be, like, honest with you.

Yeah, after, like, months, I decided to come back. I needed to kind of figure a few things in my head, I would say.

Yeah. And I came back. I'm happy that I did (smiling).

Q. I wanted to ask you what you're most proud of through this run here. And also, you said that you stepped away, that you're not really on social media. Were you at some point in social media and then went out of it, or is it something that you just choose not to do?

MAJA CHWALINSKA: Well, I choose, I mean, I post something, and then I choose to quit, because I just really want to focus on my game. Like, I want to leave French Open this year without any regrets, you know. I just want to give my all.

And I know that it can be, social media can be, like, a bit of overwhelming in these kind of situations. So I try to give myself the best chance to play the best tennis that I can.

What was the other question?

Q. What are you most proud of?

MAJA CHWALINSKA: I guess that, you know, it's a long tournament. I'm here almost three weeks now. Every day is different. Every match is different. Conditions are different.

So I had to adapt a lot. I'm very happy that I was able to do that. I think it's something that I can be proud of, you know, in my effort to do that.

Q. Precisely, if we had met three weeks ago here before the quallies, and if I had asked you about your form, your goals, your drive, what would you have told me genuinely on where you were in your career and your goals?

MAJA CHWALINSKA: Well, my goal was to be top 100 this year. That was the main goal.

Coming here, my goal was to qualify. I felt like I'm doing a good job, you know, like that I do the right things and I just need to be patient for it to click.

Yeah, but, like, obviously, I didn't expect it to happen that way. But, I mean, I'm not complaining (smiling). So, yeah, yeah.

Q. A Polish player performing well in Paris. That sounds familiar, obviously. Have you received any guidance from Iga? Because you're about the same age, and you've played together for many, many years now.

MAJA CHWALINSKA: Not really. Just, I mean, congratulations and this kind of stuff.

Q. And from a physical point of view, how do you feel? You have been playing eight matches in a row, eight victories, and the rehab period is very short before tomorrow's semifinal. So what will you do to...

MAJA CHWALINSKA: I mean, obviously I'm a bit tired, but that's normal. But, you know, it's a Grand Slam. So I feel like the adrenaline is very high. Like, I can feel terrible, but then I just step on the court and, you know, it's a different story. Doesn't matter how I feel. It's going to be okay (smiling).