Roland Garros, Loïs Boisson’s fairy tale continues: beat Andreeva, it’s semifinal

Paris has a new face to love: it is that of Lois Boisson, the young French tennis player (world number 361) who is writing one of the most incredible pages in the recent history of Roland Garros. On the legendary Philippe Chatrier, Boisson accomplished yet another feat, eliminating in two sets the number 6 seed, Mirra Andreeva, with a score of 7-6, 6-3, earning her a place in the semifinals of her home Slam.

An extraordinary journey, that of the 20-year-old transalpine, who had already been the protagonist of another upset in the previous round, where she ousted world number 3, Jessica Pegula. Against Andreeva, Lois showed impressive mental and physical resilience: down 5-3 in the first set, she saved a set point and overturned the’inertia with grit and lucidity, winning the tie-break 8-6.

In the second set, Andreeva’s initial reaction seemed likely to close the door on Boisson’s dreams, but the Frenchwoman never stopped believing. After ending up down 0-2, she strung together an extraordinary string of six consecutive games, even taking advantage of the Russian’s lapses, such as a bloody double fault at 4-3. Every point Boisson won was accompanied by the ovation of a crowd totally on her side, carried away by the young darling’s infectious energy.

“There are no words to describe what I’m feeling,” she said excitedly at the end of the match. “I faced tremendous difficulties, but the support of my team and the audience was crucial.”

Now her toughest challenge awaits her: in the semifinals she will find Coco Gauff, world number 2, victorious over Madison Keys in three sets. But with the Chatrier now singing her name, Boisson has no intention of stopping dreaming. Paris is with her.