Maja Chwalinska enjoying tennis again at Roland Garros run after battle with depression

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/chwalinska-maja/OIxOD54s/"]Chwalinska[/a], ranked 113th in the world ‌coming into Roland Garros, had to battle her way through three qualifying rounds in Paris and dropped ‌one set in her eight-match run to the last four which culminated in ‌Wednesday's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/chwalinska-m-OIxOD54s/kalinskaya-a-KGdcQnEf/?mid=KW8StHt3"]7-6(3) 6-3[/a] win over Russia's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kalinskaya-anna/KGdcQnEf/"]Anna Kalinskaya[/a].[/p][p]In 2021, Chwalinska announced she had been suffering ‌with depression for over 18 months and was stepping away from the court.[/p][p][b]"I ‌pushed at the beginning. I thought that I just need to stay very strong, tough, and just keep practicing,"[/b] Chwalinska told reporters after Wednesday's win.[/p][p]"But then I just couldn't get out of bed ‌anymore. I was just lifeless, to be honest. I ⁠knew that I need to take a ‌break, because otherwise I'm just not able to live.[/p][p][b]"I honestly didn't know if I'm gonna ​come back or not. After, like, months, I decided to come back. I needed to figure out a few things in my head, I would ​say. And I came back. I'm happy that I did."[/b][/p][embed guid="c4ec59f6-3a03-4b7b-a11a-3c0b4d540e92" url="https://x.com/rolandgarros/status/2062130323933020185" social-type="twitter" /][p]Chwalinska had previously never gone past the second round at a Grand Slam, and was asked what she ⁠was doing to cope with finding ​herself in uncharted waters.[/p][p][b]"I'm not into social media, I would say, I feel like it would be too much for me at this moment,"[/b] she said.[/p][p]"So that's one of the things that I'm doing now is just I post, and then I quit.[/p][p][b]"Other ‌than that, I have great people around me, that are with me for many, many, many years. So I can trust them and tell them anything that I feel."[/b][/p][p]Chwalinska's junior career was played alongside compatriot [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/swiatek-iga/jNyZsXZe/"]Iga Swiatek[/a]. The pair led Poland to victory in the European Under-14 Girls' Team Championships in 2015, and as doubles partners they were European Junior champions.[/p][p]They reached the Australian Open girl's doubles final in 2017, but since then they have taken very different paths with Swiatek winning six Grand Slams, including four French Open titles.[/p][p]While Swiatek went out in the fourth round ‌this year, Chwalinska has already earned more in the last few weeks in Paris ​than in her entire career, but the time to bask in her achievements ‌will come later.[/p][p][b]"I feel like I just, for some reason, don't process it,"[/b] she said.[/p][p]"I'm just focusing on every single match. I honestly don't feel like it's a huge, huge moment for me. But definitely after the tournament finishes, I will have time to be grateful for what happened and process it ⁠as well."[/p][p]Chwalinska will face another Russian ⁠in the semi-final, after 25th seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/shnaider-diana/028BdVOj/"]‌Diana Shnaider[/a] stunned world number one [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sabalenka-aryna/vyhksgUB/"]Aryna Sabalenka[/a] in Wednesday's other quarter-final.[/p]