Mila Andreeva’s Triumph at Roland Garros

Mila Andreeva had a bit of a struggle lifting the trophy at Roland Garros compared to how straightforward her match with Maja Chwalinska was on Sunday morning.

The 19-year-old player decisively beat the Polish qualifier 6-3, 6-2 in the final, making her the youngest female champion at Roland Garros in the past 34 years.

Throughout the match, Andreeva showcased her skills and grew increasingly popular, even while competing under a neutral flag due to her Russian background.

Her only awkward moment came when she posed with the Suzanne Lenglen Cup in the wrong spot right after the official trophy presentation.

Photographers from around the world lined up in front of the Philippe Chatrier court, eager to capture the moment. However, Andreeva looked quite embarrassed when she realized her mistake and quickly took a few steps to the right before finally lifting the trophy again.

She shared that winning her first Grand Slam was “much better” than she had anticipated and expressed a desire to keep adding to her trophy collection.

Andreeva is set to rise to No. 6 in the WTA rankings and clearly isn’t planning to take it easy before the grass-court season and Wimbledon, where she reached the quarterfinals last year.

“This feeling is special,” said the eighth seed.

“Honestly, I’m already thinking about my preparation for the grass season and how to perform in upcoming tournaments.”

She admitted that this experience feels a bit addictive, and she’s eager to relive it again.

With this victory, Andreeva became the first player born after 2005 to win a Grand Slam title.

She debuted at the French Open in 2023 at just 16, reached the third round, made it to the semi-finals in 2024, and managed to hit the quarter-finals a year ago.

Andreeva contemplated how winning a major title would unfold as she reflected on her journey. “I often wondered when and how it would happen,” she said.

“Honestly, it feels much better in real life than I could have ever dreamt.”

She expressed joy in looking at the trophy and realizing that she had become a Grand Slam champion.

Andreeva credited her psychologist for helping her navigate the pressure of late-stage matches. “I consulted a psychologist before the semi-finals and finals since I believed this would help me mentally prepare for such significant matches,” she explained.

“I wanted to make sure I was as prepared as possible, and she provided me with advice and techniques that really helped me handle everything.”

As a significant milestone, Andreeva is the first Russian woman to win a major title since Maria Sharapova’s last Grand Slam victory at Roland Garros in 2014.

Reflecting on Sharapova’s win, she said, “I remember her playing remarkably on clay. I knew she was in Paris as well and hoped she might have seen the final.”

“If she was watching, I really wanted to showcase a high level of tennis.”