Gauff ends Boisson’s dream Roland-Garros run
The American No 1 won with the loss of just three games
Coco Gauff (Michtof/PSNewz)
Coco Gauff ended Lois Boisson’s dream run at Roland-Garros, dismissing the French wildcard in just over an hour, 6-1, 6-2, to reach her second Paris final.
Despite the noisy support on Court Philippe-Chatrier, the world No 361 could not find a way past the smart play of Gauff, who focused on her own game and blocked out the noise.
“It’s always the plan, to try to start strong, but I knew it was important today,” she said on court afterwards. “Lois is an incredible player, for her to have the tournament she had, she definitely proved she’s one of the best players in the world, especially on clay, and I’m sure we’ll have many more battles in the future – hopefully here.”
Addressing the crowd, she added: “I know you guys wanted her to win, but I wanted to win as well!”
Asked about the crowd’s response to her, she said: “This is my first time playing a French player here…I was mentally prepared before the match that it was going to be 99 per cent for her, but I just tried to block it out. When you guys were chanting her name, I was saying to myself my name, just to psych myself [up]! You have to do that!”
Boisson ends her week with two wins over Top 10 players, Jessica Pegula and Mirra Andreeva. She is the second woman ranked outside the Top 300 to beat multiple Top 10 opponents in a single event after Serena Williams beat Mary Pierce and Monica Seles in Chicago in 1997. She is also the second woman in the last 40 years to beat multiple Top 10 opponents in her maiden Grand Slam since Seles beat Zina Garrison and Manuela Maleeva at Roland-Garros in 1989.
Boisson’s excellent fortnight should not detract from the achievements of Gauff, the youngest woman to reach back-to-back semi-finals in Paris since Ana Ivanovic.
The American now seeks her second career title on clay, following Parma in 2021; she reached the final at both WTA 1000 events on clay in Madrid and Rome earlier this year.
She faces Aryna Sabalenka – who beat her in the Madrid final.
