Most players walking into the French Open are worried about clay-court footwork or film on their next opponent. Maja Chwalińska was worried about where she was going to sleep.

The 24-year-old from Poland arrived at Roland Garros this year ranked No. 114 in the world, with no sponsor and no financial cushion. As Sportico reported, she was paying for the whole trip herself, and the math of professional tennis is brutal for someone in her position. Prize money arrives after the tournament, but hotels, travel, and equipment all have to be paid up front. She hadn’t booked a room past the qualifying rounds, because she had no reason to assume she’d still be in Paris.

“I actually struggled to pay for the hotel, because you know that we get the check after the tournament,” Chwalińska said in a press conference, a detail that surfaced almost by accident after one of her wins.

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