India, June 5 -- The most unexpected runs - one more than the other - in the history of the French Open will converge on Saturday in the women's singles final, between two wholly deserving candidates.

Since she made her professional debut as a 14-year-old in February 2022, there have been expectations that Mirra Andreeva would one day be a Grand Slam champion. At the ongoing French Open where four-time champion Iga Swiatek was beaten in the fourth round and world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka exited in the quarter-final, the Russian world No.8 has taken her chances and reached a first Grand Slam final.

Standing in her way though is the unheralded Maja Chwalinska - she can emulate Britain's Emma Raducanu, who is the only qualifier to win a Grand ...