Qualifier Chwalinska cruises past Kalinskaya to continue dream run at Roland Garros

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/chwalinska-maja/OIxOD54s/"]Chwalinska[/a] again defied the odds to down the Russian [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/chwalinska-m-OIxOD54s/kalinskaya-a-KGdcQnEf/?mid=KW8StHt3"]7-6 (7/3), 6-3[/a] at the quarter-final stage.[/p][p]Prior to her run in Paris, Chwalinska had only ever won two tour-level matches on clay in her career; now she stands one victory away from competing for the biggest title the surface has to offer.[/p][embed guid="93e0a0e2-25d8-4e7a-8a5e-70e07346a626" url="https://x.com/rolandgarros/status/2062130323933020185" social-type="twitter" /][p]Standing in the 24-year-old's way in Friday's semi-final will be either world number one [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sabalenka-aryna/vyhksgUB/"]Aryna Sabalenka[/a] or 25th seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/shnaider-diana/028BdVOj/"]Diana Shnaider[/a].[/p][p]Regardless of the outcome of that match, Chwalinska has ensured her spot in the annals of Roland Garros by equalling, at least, the result of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/podoroska-nadia/OKBlwX8r/"]Nadia Podoroska[/a], who in 2020 became the first woman in the Open era to come through qualifying and reach the semi-finals at the clay-court Grand Slam.[/p][p][b]"I honestly don't know what's going on. I know I repeat myself but every single match here is kind of crazy for me so I'm very grateful," [/b]Chwalinska said.[/p][p]"I'm happy it looks like that but I was definitely nervous, it's normal, you know, I care," she added when asked about her calm demeanour on court.[/p][p][b]"I just try to win every match that I'm playing.[/b][/p][p]"I'm playing against the best players in the world so I won't compare myself to them."[/p][image alt="Match stats" id="63a05f45-62d1-46b0-b434-4bdc9781e206" credit-line="Enetpulse" guid="7dbc44bb-b6d1-49ce-8e84-4d2d9dffa55c" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]The diminutive Pole had two chances to serve out the opener at 5-1 and 5-3 but was broken in blustery conditions on Court Philippe Chatrier as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kalinskaya-anna/KGdcQnEf/"]Kalinskaya[/a] fought back to level at five-apiece.[/p][p]In the tie-break, Chwalinska got some daylight between herself and the Russian at 6-3, before taking the first set when Kalinskaya overcooked a loopy defensive backhand.[/p][p]She moved to the edge of victory by again securing a double break to take a 4-1 lead.[/p][p]Kalinskaya again fought back, but this time Chwalinska stopped her in the ninth game, sealing match point when the 27-year-old hit long off her forehand wing.[/p][p]Defeat for Kalinskaya brings an end to her first last-eight run at Roland Garros.[/p]