"Honestly didn't know whether I was going to come back or not" - Maja Chwalinska speaks on prior battle with depression as 2026 tennis goals smashed

Before the 2026 season began, Maja Chwalinska had hoped to climb into the top 100 in the world. After defeating Anna Kalinskaya 7-6(3), 6-3 in the quarter-final of the French Open, she is set to debut in the top 30 after an outstanding week on court.

From qualifying, Chwalinska has impressed hugely throughout the entire tournament. Noticeable wins over Qinwen Zheng, Elise Mertens, Maria Sakkari and home favourite Diane Parry set up a clash against the 22nd seed. She halted a charging Kalinskaya in a first set tiebreak before keeping a break advantage in the second set to get over the finishing line in a day involving blustery winds at Roland Garros, not nice to play in.

She was quick to highlight these challenging conditions in a hard fought win. "Definitely a very challenging match, and the conditions were very tough. It was very windy today, so you need to be extra focused in those kinds of conditions," she told the media.

"I feel like what I did well was stay calm when I was 5–1 up and Anna started to play much more aggressively. I'm very proud that I stayed composed and managed to win the set. Then the second set was just a battle, so I'm very happy to get the win."

British number one Emma Raducanu is the only player to win a Grand Slam as a qualifier. She played 10 matches, won all 10 while not dropping a set enroute to the 2021 US Open title with a win over Leylah Fernandez in the final.

This spectacular achievement has not been achieved since and seems very unlikely to happen, but that does not mean it is possible. Chwalinska has the chance to add her name to that very short list in what could be one of the most surprising Grand Slam triumphs ever.

"It was such an impressive run. She was so young as well. I think she was 18, right?" she said, correct with her guess. "And she didn't drop a set, so it was incredible. I feel like the level in qualifying is very close to the main draw. The players in qualifying are so good and such great competitors. We just need to believe, keep fighting, and trust that maybe one day it will click for us as well. That's what I would take from that experience."

The fact that she is in the semi-final on her debut Roland Garros campaign was something that could not believe, specifically right after the match. "Not really. For some reason, I don't process it. I'm just focusing on every single match. Honestly, it doesn't feel like a huge moment for me right now. After the tournament finishes, I'll probably have time to be grateful for what happened and process it properly. For now, I'm very happy, but I know I need to focus on the job."

Chwalinska did struggle with depression in the past, taking a break from the sport after losing her Wimbledon qualifying match back in 2021. Her love for the sport had abolished and the Pole was thinking of a career away from the sport as she focused on her mental health.

She was not the only player to go through this. Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka was very vocal about her troubles which inspired many. Gradually her love for the sport returned and now she is a Grand Slam semi-finalist.

"The break itself wasn't very tough. The tough moments were before the break," she admitted. "I was struggling a lot. At the beginning, I thought I just needed to stay strong, be tough, and keep practising. But eventually I couldn't get out of bed anymore. I was just lifeless, to be honest.

"I knew I needed to take a break because otherwise I wasn't able to live properly. I honestly didn't know whether I was going to come back or not. After a few months, I decided to return. I needed to figure out a few things in my head. I'm happy that I came back."

She is also someone that does not really engage with social media. "Iit's definitely a conscious choice," she confirmed. "I post something and then leave because I really want to focus on my game. I want to leave Roland-Garros this year without any regrets. I want to give absolutely everything, and I know social media can be overwhelming in a situation like this.

"I try to give myself the best chance possible to play my best tennis. As for what I'm proud of, it's been a long tournament. I've been here almost three weeks now. Every day is different, every match is different, and the conditions are different. I've had to adapt a lot, and I'm very happy that I've been able to do that. That's something I can be proud of."

At the start of the year, Chwalinska's goal was clear. "My goal for the year was to get into the Top 100," the world number 114 said. "Coming here, my goal was simply to qualify. I felt like I was doing a good job and doing the right things. I just needed to be patient and wait for things to click. Obviously, I didn't expect it to happen this way, but I'm definitely not complaining."

She is now set to be a seed for the upcoming major tournaments thanks to a ginormous 84 position rise. The 24-year-old is now the world number 30 in the world thanks to the huge points tally. The job is not yet done. Diana Shnaider will be her semi-final opponent. The Russian won 10 games on the spin to defeat world number one Aryna Sabalenka in a huge upset.

While a little fatigue is there for Chwalinska ahead of tomorrow's semi-final, she was not concerned. "Obviously, I'm a bit tired, but that's normal. It's a Grand Slam, though, so the adrenaline is very high. I can feel terrible off court, but then I step onto the court and it's a different story. It doesn't really matter how I feel. It's going to be okay."