Teenager Mira Andreeva beat Polish qualifier Maja Cholenska 6-3, 6-2 in the French Open women’s singles final on Saturday to win her first Grand Slam title, becoming the first Russian woman to win a Grand Slam. Maria Sharapova Won the tournament in 2014.The victory made Andreeva, 19, the youngest player to win a French Open women’s singles title since Monica Seles, who was 18 when she claimed her third straight Roland Garros crown in 1992.Cholenska, ranked 114th in the world, was aiming to become the first qualifier to win the French Open title. Andreeva, however, controlled the match and sealed the victory with a backhand cross court winner on her first championship point before falling to her knees on the clay in celebration.The final came at the end of a tournament in which Andreeva continued the rise that began when she burst onto the scene as a 15-year-old at the 2023 Madrid Open. There, she became the third-youngest player to win a main draw match at a WTA 1000 event and reached the quarterfinals.In recent years, Andreeva has competed without the Russian flag and in a neutral capacity due to the war in Ukraine. During the semifinals, she defeated Marta Kostyuk, who did not shake her hand after the match, continuing the practice of Ukrainian players against Russian opponents since 2022.In winning the title, Andreeva also surpassed her coach, former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez, who finished runner-up at the 2000 French Open. Former champion Mary Pierce, who defeated Martinez in the final, presented Andreeva with the trophy.The match was played under mostly sunny skies, although strong winds affected both players in what was the first Grand Slam final for each.Chulenska made a nervous start, double-faulting on the opening match point, but became the first player to serve in the fifth game. As the match progressed, however, Andreeva adapted better and found answers to Chwalinska’s mix of spin, drop shots and variation.The tournament will conclude on Sunday when Alexander Xavier takes on Flavio Coboli in the men’s singles final.
