Maja Chwalinska has emerged as one of the biggest success stories of the tennis season after her remarkable run to the Roland Garros final propelled her to a career-high world ranking of No. 21.
The 24-year-old Pole arrived in Paris ranked No. 114 and with little expectation of making a deep run. By the end of the tournament, she had produced one of the most surprising performances in recent Grand Slam history, climbing more than 90 places in the rankings and establishing herself among the sport's top players.
Chwalinska's breakthrough campaign saw her rise past several ranking milestones in a single tournament. Having entered Roland Garros just outside the top 100, she surged into the top 50, top 40 and top 30 before ultimately reaching No. 21 in the latest rankings.
Her run was historic for more than just the ranking gains. Chwalinska became the lowest-ranked woman to reach a Roland Garros final since the introduction of the WTA rankings in 1975. She also joined rare company as only the second qualifier in the Open Era, male or female, to advance all the way to a Grand Slam singles final.