Barbora Krejcikova, Czech Republic, is previously world number one in doubles but is experiencing a spring where she has made a big impact as a single player.
Until two weeks ago, she had never won a singles tournament, when she won in Strasbourg.
Today, as unseeded in her fifth start in a Grand Slam, she can win the Open French at Roland Garros in Paris.
In addition, she is in the final in doubles, with Kateřina Siniaková.
- I have a hard time understanding that this is really happening, says Krejcikova, who a year ago was ranked 114 on the singles list.
Seen as a prodigy
Now she quickly climbs the ranking and next week will learn to lift further from her 33rd place.
Krejcikova thanks the role model Jana Novotna, who was her coach between 2014 and 2017, but who passed away after a period of cancer.
- Without her, I would not have been here, says Barbora Krejcikova.
In the singles final, the Czech will face Russian veteran Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, 29, who has come a long way to a match for the first Grand Slam title of her life.
She is the first women's player to play 50 Grand Slam tournaments without reaching a final.
Despite the fact that she has the record in the number of victories against top 10 players without being so highly ranked.
Before the tournament in Paris, the Russian was 32nd in the world, just one place ahead of final opponent Barbora Krejcikova.
- My fourteen-year-old self would probably have wondered why the first final took so long, says Pavlyuchenkova, who was long seen as a prodigy.