Reaching the French Open final match is by far the biggest success in Iga Świątek's career. Along with the glory come huge rewards. The 19-year-old from Poland will go far up in the WTA ranking, as well as cash a hefty cheque.

Polish teenager Iga Świątek became the youngest player to reach the French Open women's final in 19 years when she crushed Argentine qualifier Nadia Podoroska 6-2 6-1 on Thursday.

The whole of Poland will become a yellow zone from Saturday (October 10) on - Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said at a press conference on Thursday, as the country grapples with a sharp spike in coronavirus cases. Furthermore, wearing masks outside will be compulsory across the whole of the country.

Poland's daily coronavirus cases surged over 40% on Thursday compared to the previous day, as infection rates hit a new record just as the capital Warsaw was set to be added to a list of areas with additional restrictions.

"She's incredibly ambitious. It really helps her in pursuing her dreams and winning" - Iga Świątek's father, Tomasz Świątek, said in TVN24's "Fakty po Faktach". The emerging star of Polish tennis on Thursday will play by far the most important game of her career. Iga Świątek is one game away from the French Open singles final.

Polish farmers blocked over 150 roads across Poland on Wednesday. This way they protested against the proposed animal rights protection law, known as "five for animals", as well as against appointing Grzegorz Puda as the new agriculture minister.

Poland has fined Russia's Gazprom more than 29 billion zlotys ($7.6 billion) for building the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline without Warsaw's approval, its watchdog UOKiK said on Wednesday, prompting the company to say it will appeal.

Due to a spike in coronavirus cases in Poland, the Ministry of Health has introduced a set of new restrictions that are to become effective in the so-called red and yellow zones. "From Saturday on, Warsaw will almost certainly join the yellow zone" - said the spokesman for the health ministry Wojciech Andrusiewicz.

Polish teenager Iga Świątek recovered from a nervy start to outclass Italian qualifier Martina Trevisan 6-3 6-1 and move into the French Open semi-finals on Tuesday.

Poland on Wednesday reported a daily record of 3,003 new coronavirus cases and a record 75 deaths, as it imposes new restrictions to try to dodge a full lockdown.

Polish President Andrzej Duda appointed a new cabinet at an open-air ceremony at the presidential palace gardens on Tuesday (October 6). Among the new cabinet members is Law and Justice party chairman Jarosław Kaczyński.

Lithuania and Poland have decided to recall their ambassadors to Belarus for consultations in the hope of reducing regional tensions, days after they dismissed a demand from Minsk that they do so. "Support for Belarusians and their efforts to democratize the country remains a priority to us" - Poland's FM Zbigniew Rau wrote on Twitter.

The European Parliament on Monday debated the proposed mechanism tying the distribution of EU funds to observing the rule of law by member states. "Breaches of the rule of law cannot be tolerated and we will continue to defend it" - said Vera Jourova, European Commission Vice-President for Values and Transparency.

The Ministry of Health on Tuesday confirmed 2,236 new coronavirus infections, as well as the death of 58 COVID-infected patients. Since the start of the pandemic, Poland has recorded more than 104,000 infection cases. Furthermore, another 40 ventilators have been put to use within the last 24 hours, over 550 hospital beds have been taken, and 24,000 coronavirus tests have been done.

Poland rescheduled a ceremony at which the president was to confirm new ministers on Monday, after the incoming education minister said he had tested positive for coronavirus.

Fantasy writer Radek Rak has been awarded the Nike Literary Award for "A Tale of a Serpent’s Heart or Another Word about Jakób Szela". This year's readers' award went to Joanna Gierak-Onoszko for "The 27 Deaths of Tony Obed".

Robert Lewandowski has been named the best player of the 3rd week of German Bundesliga by "Kicker" magazine. Bayern Munich's striker, who has just been crowned the Player of the Year by UEFA, scored four goals against Hertha Berlin on Sunday, helping his team to win the thrilling game 4:3. Polish goalkeeper Rafał Gikiewicz from Augsburg has also made it to the week's best eleven.

Poland's incoming education minister said on Monday he had tested positive for coronavirus, as new cases in Poland have continued to reach records over the past week.

Poland's total number of coronavirus cases passed the 100,000 mark on Sunday, according to the health ministry's Twitter account, as infection rates surge in the country which has reported daily records three times in the past week. On Monday, the ministry confirmed 2,006 new infection cases and further 29 deaths.

Napoli's Poland midfielder Piotr Zieliński has tested positive for COVID-19, the Serie A club said on Friday, five days after they hosted Genoa who have been hit by a spate of cases. The player will miss a hit match against bitter rivals Juventus on Sunday, as well as three games for Poland's national team against Finland, Italy and Bosnia.

Polish divers say they have found the wreck of a German World War Two ship which may help solve a decades-old mystery - the whereabouts of the Amber Room, an ornate chamber from a tsarist palace in Russia that was looted by the Nazis.

Poland's President Andrzej Duda has joined the choir of world leaders wishing speedy recovery to U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, who have tested positive for COVID-19.

Due to the latest series of spikes in coronavirus infections in Poland, the Ministry of Health on Thursday updated the map of restrictions. The list consists of 44 counties and 7 cities with county rights that have been marked either a yellow or red zone. 17 of them, including the town of Sopot, have been marked red, whereas 34, including Gdańsk, Gdynia, Szczecin, Kielce and Rzeszów, have been marked yellow. The capital city of Warsaw is on the list of places likely to have coronavirus restrictions tightened soon. The changes become effective on Saturday (Oct.3).

Poland's daily coronavirus cases topped 2,000 for the first time on Friday, the latest record in a surge in infections that has raised the possibility that the government will have to bring forward the introduction of new restrictions.

Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski won the UEFA men's Player of the Year award on Thursday, ahead of Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne and Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. Pernille Harder won the Women’s Player of the Year award for the second time. Bayern's manager Hansi Flick became the coach of the season.

President Andrzej Duda's visit to the University of Warsaw marking the inauguration of the academic year sparked protests by students on Thursday. A crowd accusing the head of state of homophobic comments gathered in front of the Auditorium Maximum hall.

"Let's quit discussing these LGBT abominations, homosexuality, bisexuality, equality parades" - Przemysław Czarnek said a few months ago. First as a voivode, and then as Law and Justice lawmaker, he often discussed the topic of sexual orientation in the media. What he practically never talked about were science and education - the issues he will now be dealing with as minister.

Poland reported a record number of new daily coronavirus infections on Thursday, with the Health Ministry announcing 1,967 new cases as it battles a rise in cases with new curbs.

Poland's ruling nationalists appeared to have taken a turn further to the right on Wednesday with the appointment of an ultra-conservative education chief in a new cabinet lineup, raising the prospect of new friction with the European Union. Furthermore, the chairman of the ruling Law and Justice party Jarosław Kaczyński has joined the cabinet as deputy PM.

The European Union's executive criticised moves by Poland and Hungary to overhaul their judicial systems as a "major source of controversy" and "serious concern" in its first report on Wednesday about failings in the rule of law in the bloc.