French Open: Mirra Andreeva claims maiden Grand Slam title, becomes youngest Roland Garros champion since Monica Seles

PARIS: As Mirra Andreeva collapsed onto the clay of Court Philippe-Chatrier, her coach Conchita Martinez sprang from her seat, arms outstretched in triumph. Twenty-six years after playing a French Open final herself, Martinez watched her 19-year-old pupil, a prodigious talent, achieve something she never did.Displaying admirable composure as she navigated the difficult conditions on a windswept afternoon in Paris, Andreeva raced to her box to celebrate her maiden Grand Slam title with her coach and team. The 6-3, 6-2 victory over Maja Chwalinska making her the youngest woman to win this title since Monica Seles 34 years ago. She then returned to the court wearing a black jacket bearing her own inscription -- I want to thank myself – Mirra.The Russian, presented with the Coupe Suzanne-Lenglen by Mary Pierce, then took her time with her victory speech, which seemed to last longer than the 82-minute final itself.“Thanks to Conchita for sharing her experience, giving me advice. Thanks to everyone on my team, special thanks to my parents for believing in me,” she said.“Last but not least I also want to thank myself for believing in myself… Always giving my 100 percent even when it’s tough. Trying every day to be better as a person and as a player. Believing I can do this. Fighting so many demons inside of me. Only I know how tough it was for me. How nervous I was these last few weeks,” she finished.Even before the final commenced, there was little doubt which way the crowd was leaning. In the minutes before the players walked onto court, Polish flags dotted the stands and chants of “Maja, Maja” (pronounced Maya) rolled around the grounds. The chorus continued until Andreeva appeared to a polite reception. The question hanging over the afternoon was whether the Russian could keep her nerves in check playing against the crowd.The 19-year-old from Krasnoyarsk in Siberia broke in the opening game of the match, which Chwalinska began with a double fault. Then, at the third time of asking, Andreeva found the sweet timing that would prove so damaging to her opponent. Chwalinska broke back immediately in the next game, when the Russian attempted to give her a taste of her own medicine by hitting with generous shape.The first four games of the final all went with serve being broken. Whether it was the wind swirling around Court Philippe-Chatrier or simply two first-time Grand Slam finalists settling into the occasion, neither player initially found much rhythm. The pattern finally ended when Chwalinska held to love, with Andreeva responding, almost in kind.It was midway through the opening set that Andreeva appeared to find her stride. She stopped trying to force the pace, or answering moonballs with moonballs of her own, and eventually settled into her natural game -- opening up the court and finding her targets. It helped, too, that Chwalinska, the first qualifier to reach a Roland Garros final and playing her tenth match in roughly 20 days, was beginning to fade.Andreeva stormed to a 5-0 lead in the second set, but Chwalinska, taking her time between points and showing no signs of surrender, broke on her second opportunity when the Russian served for the match in the seventh game, cutting the lead to 2-5. In the next game Andreeva made amends, breaking at love.