Russian tennis player Mirra Andreeva, competing under a neutral status, has become the winner of Roland Garros-26, the French Open tennis tournament. In the final, held on the Philippe-Chatrier court in Paris, she defeated her Polish opponent Maia Chwalińska with a score of 6:3, 6:2. After the match, Andreeva thanked her parents, coach, psychologist—and herself—'for believing and fighting inner demons.' She became the youngest French Open champion in 34 years—since Monica Seles (1992)—and the first Russian woman to conquer a Grand Slam tournament since 2014 (after Maria Sharapova). 'New Europe' tells about the tennis player's career path and what Andreeva is known for. Mirra Andreeva with the Suzanne Lenglen Cup after winning the final match at the Roland Garros Grand Slam tournament in Paris, France, June 6, 2026. Photo: Mohammed Badra / EPA. In her post-victory interview, Andreeva told journalists that she had imagined winning the tournament many times, but in real life, the emotions are 'much better': 'To look at this trophy and realize that it's all real, and I can call myself a Grand Slam champion.' According to the athlete, 'it's addictive,' and she can't wait to repeat the experience. 'I've been watching Roland Garros since childhood and always dreamed of winning this trophy,' said Andreeva. Andreeva was presented with the trophy by the winner of the 2000 French Open, Mary Pierce. Andreeva's coach, Conchita Martínez, lost to Pierce in the 2000 tournament final. Mirra Andreeva receives the trophy from French tennis player Mary Pierce after winning the Roland Garros tournament, Paris, France, June 6, 2026. Photo: Mohammed Badra / EPA. Martínez said she is very proud of her protégé's victory. She also shared that Andreeva 'has a difficult character.' 'You have to give her credit and praise her for wanting to change things, for staying open and not being afraid of hard work. As you can see, as soon as she puts in the effort, her potential is immediately revealed. She has innate talent. She is a magnificent player, so this is her path,' the coach noted at a press conference. After her Roland Garros final victory, Andreeva shared that she indeed has a difficult character. The young woman thanked her opponent, coach, and family, and also specifically thanked her psychologist, who, according to her, was watching from Florida: 'Everything you told me, I tried to use during these two weeks.' She also expressed gratitude in Russian to her former coach Kirill Kryukov. 'And finally, I want to thank myself for believing in myself and always giving 100%, even when it was tough, for striving to become better as a person and as a player, for fighting many inner demons,' Andreeva said. For winning the tournament, the tennis player earned 2.8 million euros in prize money. 'Proud of you, Mirra. This celebration speaks for itself. Thrilled, but not yet satisfied. The mark of a true champion,' Maria Sharapova reacted to Andreeva's victory. Match against Kostyuk In the Roland Garros semifinals, Russian Andreeva, the world's eighth-ranked player, defeated Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, the world's 15th-ranked player, with a score of 6:1, 6:3. After the match, the players did not shake hands. At the pre-match press conference, Kostyuk criticized Russian athletes for not speaking out about Russia's aggression against Ukraine. 'I would like to see more clear statements on this matter. I don't know how you can sleep peacefully when you know that such things are happening, and you are silent,' she said. Kostyuk had previously spoken about a Russian missile strike near her childhood home in Kyiv. After her quarterfinal victory, Kostyuk tearfully dedicated her win to the people of Ukraine: 'We had another very difficult evening in Ukraine, especially in Kyiv. So many people died. I want to dedicate this match to the Ukrainian people and their resilience,' she said. Andreeva praised her opponent's game after the semifinal. 'She is an amazing tennis player, a strong opponent, so I am very pleased with my game. I am glad that I got revenge for the Madrid final and reached my first Grand Slam final,' said the Russian. The tennis player also noted that 'nobody wants war in the world.' 'I never think about these things when I play,' she added. Marta Kostyuk during the semifinal match against Mirra Andreeva at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 4, 2026. Photo: Teresa Suarez / EPA. Career Successes Besides Roland Garros Andreeva has been playing professional tennis since she was 15. She was born in Krasnoyarsk, then lived and trained in Moscow, and in January 2022, she began training at the Cannes academy Elite in France. In an interview with 'Kommersant,' Andreeva recalled that her sports career began when her mother became interested in tennis. First, she enrolled her older sister, Erika (also a professional tennis player), in a sports section. 'I love holding a racket, feeling the grip with its fresh wrap in my palm. And I love the sound the strings make when you hit the ball in the center of the stringbed. Sometimes I'm given a week off to reset, but I can't stand it after about the third day and start hitting the ball against the wall or at least mimic strokes,' the athlete said in an interview with 'Kommersant.' In 2025, Mirra Andreeva won two consecutive WTA 1000 tournaments, prestigious tournaments of the Women's Tennis Association: in Dubai and Indian Wells. At 17, she became the youngest WTA 1000 tournament champion. In February, she entered the WTA top 10 for the first time, and in July—the top 5. In the same year, Andreeva won her first WTA doubles title. She won with Diana Shnaider at the tournament in Brisbane, Australia. Later, they also won the tournament in Miami, and at the end of the season, they participated in the WTA Finals as a pair for the first time. Mirra Andreeva during the semifinal match against Marta Kostyuk at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 4, 2026. Photo: Mohammed Badra / EPA. Andreeva reached her first WTA final in 2024. She won the title in Iași (Romania) and was a finalist at the tournament in Ningbo (China). At Roland Garros, one of the four Grand Slam tournaments, Andreeva reached the semifinals for the first time in 2024. In the quarterfinals, she defeated the world's second-ranked player, Aryna Sabalenka. On October 8, 2024, Andreeva entered the WTA top 20 for the first time and finished the season in 16th place. In the same year, she won a silver medal at the Paris Olympics in women's doubles with Diana Shnaider. In 2023, Andreeva started the season with a 13-match winning streak and won two International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournaments in Switzerland. She then received a wild card (a special invitation from the organizers) for the tournament in Madrid and reached the fourth round, defeating Leylah Fernandez, Beatriz Haddad Maia, and Magda Linette. In the fourth round, she lost to Aryna Sabalenka. In the same season, Andreeva debuted at Grand Slam tournaments: she reached the third round at Roland Garros, the fourth round at Wimbledon, and lost in the second round of the US Open to future champion Coco Gauff. Also in 2023, the Russian reached the fourth round of the tournament in Beijing, where she lost to Elena Rybakina. By the end of the season, Andreeva entered the WTA top 50 for the first time, although she started the year outside the top 300. WTA recognized her as Newcomer of the Year. In 2022, Andreeva had successful performances at ITF tournaments: she won 39 matches with 9 losses and took her first four titles at this level. In the same year, she debuted in the main draw of a WTA tournament in Monastir (Tunisia) but lost in the first round to Anastasia Potapova. Andreeva began her professional career in February 2022 at the ITF W15 tournament in Sharm El Sheikh. W15 is the entry level for professional ITF tournaments. In total, the athlete has six ITF singles titles. In her junior career, Andreeva's main achievement was reaching the final of the Australian Open in 2023. She lost to compatriot Alina Korneeva.