Maja Chwalinska, a qualifier who has reached the semi-finals of the French Open, has admitted she may struggle to afford a hotel room in Paris despite earning more prize money at this year's tournament than she had in her entire career.
The Polish player, ranked 114th in the world, has already secured £648,428 in prize money at Roland Garros, surpassing the £643,964 she had accumulated before the event. However, the funds will not be available immediately, leaving her scrambling to find affordable accommodation.
“Well, I hope there are still some rooms available out there... or that I have enough money, you know? Because I know I earned quite a bit here, but that money doesn't come immediately. We'll see what happens, pray for me,” Chwalinska said.
Chwalinska, who underwent major surgery in 2022 and took time out for mental health reasons, has never previously advanced beyond the second round of a Grand Slam. She defeated Anna Kalinskaya in straight sets to reach the semi-finals, where she will face Diana Shnaider.
“I'm definitely surprised by everything that's happening. If someone had told me before the tournament that I would reach the round of 16, I probably wouldn't have believed it,” she said. After her quarter-final win, she was left in tears, describing the moment as “enormous relief.”
Her run will see her rise to around 30th in the world rankings when they are updated.
