MIRRA ANDREEVA WINS FRENCH OPEN AT 19, BECOMES YOUNGEST WOMEN’S CHAMPION SINCE MONICA SELES . (PHOTO).

 Mirra Andreeva wins French Open at 19, becomes youngest women’s champion since Monica Seles 

 Russian tennis star Mirra Andreeva completed a breakout run at the French Open on Saturday, defeating Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska 6-3, 6-2 to capture her first Grand Slam title at age 19.

Andreeva, who was already regarded as a prodigy after emerging on the WTA Tour as a teenager, became the youngest women’s singles champion since Monica Seles, who was 18 when she won her third straight French Open in 1992. Ranked eighth in the world, she controlled the final in Paris, taking command after dropping just a few early games.

The match shifted decisively when Andreeva won nine consecutive games to seize control, eventually closing out the victory with a backhand winner on match point before falling to her knees in celebration on the clay. She finished with 25 winners compared to Chwalinska’s 10 and committed fewer unforced errors in a match played under windy conditions at Court Philippe-Chatrier.

Chwalinska, ranked 114th and attempting to become the first qualifier ever to win the Roland Garros title, congratulated Andreeva during the trophy ceremony, joking about her talent. Andreeva, in turn, used her victory speech to thank herself for perseverance, confidence, and mental resilience through the tournament.

“Only I know how tough it was for me,” Andreeva said, adding that she battled nerves throughout the two-week run.

Born in Siberia and later developing her game in Sochi and France, Andreeva has been viewed as a future Grand Slam contender since making a deep run at the 2023 Madrid Open as a 15-year-old. She has recently competed without national symbols due to restrictions tied to the war in Ukraine, and she previously faced Ukrainian opponent Marta Kostyuk, who declined a post-match handshake in the semifinals.

The final also featured a strong Polish crowd presence, while Andreeva received limited support aside from scattered cheers late in the match. Former champion Conchita Martinez, now Andreeva’s coach, saw her own Roland Garros history echoed as she watched her player lift the trophy presented by Mary Pierce.

The men’s final is set for Sunday, while the tournament also concluded its men’s doubles competition, where top seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos defended their title with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten.