Andreeva comes of age with Roland Garros triumph over surprise package Chwalinska

PARIS: Mirra Andreeva became the youngest French Open champion in over three decades on Saturday as she swept aside surprise finalist ​Maja Chwalinska 6-3 6-2 on a blustery Court Philippe Chatrier, where the Pole seemed frozen by the magnitude of the occasion.

The 19-year-old Russian, the youngest Roland Garros women’s singles winner since Monica Seles won her third straight title in 1992 aged 18, overcame a jittery start to claim her maiden Grand Slam crown, growing in authority as the match wore on while Chwalinska struggled to settle on the big stage.

The world number 114, who will rise to 21st in the world rankings on Monday, had captivated Roland Garros with her tactical intelligence and fearless variety in a nine-match winning run that began in qualifying but the magic deserted her ‌in the final ‌despite the support of hundreds of Polish fans.

On a court that ​suddenly ‌seemed ⁠vast and ​unforgiving, ⁠Chwalinska looked a shadow of the player who had outmaneuvered opponent after opponent to reach the championship match.

“You’re a very tricky opponent. Wouldn’t want to play you one more time. No, it’s okay, I hope we play many more finals in the future,” Andreeva said during the trophy ceremony.

“It was a big dream of mine to win this tournament. I can’t believe that I’m holding this trophy.

As eighth seed Andreeva’s groundstrokes found their range and her confidence swelled, Chwalinska’s touch deserted her.

The Pole’s trademark drop shots and changes of pace yielded diminishing returns, and the Russian ⁠teenager seized control to complete a breakthrough triumph that confirmed her arrival among ‌the game’s elite.

The opening set was a nervous affair, with both ‌players struggling to settle under the pressure