We've got one semi-final pick from Roland Garros today, and honestly it's one of the more surprising matchups of the tournament. Maja Chwalinska at 114 in the world, two wins away from a Grand Slam title. Who had that on their bingo card?
WTA French Open Predictions
Diana Shnaider vs Maja Chwalinska
Head-to-head: Shnaider 1-0 Chwalinska
On paper, Shnaider is the clear favorite here. She's ranked 91 spots higher, she's been one of the most improved players on tour over the past year and clay is genuinely a strong surface for her. That one previous meeting went to Shnaider too, so there's no H2H comfort for Chwalinska to lean on.
But Chwalinska has been doing something remarkable this fortnight. Getting to a Grand Slam semi-final from outside the top 100 doesn't happen by accident, and she's clearly playing the best clay-court tennis of her career right now. Shnaider can be streaky and has had some nervy moments in big matches, and a semi-final at Roland Garros with all the noise around Chwalinska's story could be exactly the kind of occasion that gets in her head. That said, I feel like this goes three sets, and the momentum and confidence Chwalinska is carrying, built up across what has been a genuinely stunning run, gets her over the line, all things considered.
Prediction: Chwalinska in 3
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Credit Image: © Matthieu Mirville/ZUMA Press Wire