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NEW YORK — Before her first Grand Slam semifinal in June, Maja Chwalińska went viral.
The Polish player, then outside the world top 100, did not expect to spend three weeks in Paris, and admitted she was struggling to pay for her extended hotel stay.
“I actually struggled to pay for the hotel because you guys know that we get the check after the tournament,” Chwalińska said in June.
This week at the US Open, she told Front Office Sports that her hotel bill troubles arose in the second round in Paris, which was the second of three weeks she lasted in the tournament.
Chwalińska, 24, would go from the qualifying rounds all the way to the finals at Roland-Garros, where she would fall short against top-10 player Mirra Andreeva. But she still took home $1.64 million, tripling her career earnings up until that point.
Will she have any trouble covering her lodging in New York?
“Probably not.”
But her nine-figure prize from the French Open wasn’t the only reason she’s no longer running into logistical issues. The tennis calendar’s constant travel is expensive, even for players earning millions every year. Many are only able to find more financial freedom with sponsorships.
Chwalińska said Polish nutrition and beverage brand Oshee jumped in during Roland-Garros to help with her lodging expenses, and she has since signed with the brand as an ambassador. The brand has also sponsored Polish star Iga Świątek, a six-time Grand Slam champion, since 2023.
Chwalińska, currently ranked No. 22, has turned into a household name in Poland. She said she was even surprised at the welcome she received from her home country after the tournament.
“A lot of people came, and I didn’t expect it at all,” Chwalińska told FOS. “I’m pretty sure I was very overwhelmed. But at the same time, truly grateful for all the support and love.”
Chwalińska’s post-Roland-Garros run has not been all positive. She injured her ankle at match point on her opponent’s serve in the first round at Wimbledon, eventually losing the match.
She returned at the National Bank Open in Canada earlier this month, but lost her opening round match. She got her first singles win since Roland-Garros at Cincinnati two weeks ago, but lost in the Round of 32 against Diana Shnaider, the same player she beat in the French Open semis.
Chwalińska said she’s “feeling good” and ready to take on the US Open, where she will be in the main draw for the first time in her career.
She said her Roland-Garros success has certainly brought added pressure entering the year’s final Grand Slam.
“I’m just a human, and I’m not blind. I definitely feel more expectations from people around me,” Chwalińska said. “But it’s just a new reality that I need to work with, and I’m pretty sure that I’m gonna be fine.”
Chwalińska plays her first match Monday against U.S. player Taylor Townsend.
