Fairytale at French Open: World No. 361 Boisson stuns Andreeva to reach the semi finals

Loïs Boisson's fairytale journey at the 2025 Roland-Garros is far from over, as the French wildcard extended her dream run by defeating sixth seed Mirra Andreeva in a thrilling quarter-final match, 7-6(8), 6-3. This monumental victory makes the current world No. 361 the first Frenchwoman to reach the semi-finals of the Parisian Grand Slam since Marion Bartoli achieved the feat in 2011.

Adding to her remarkable list of accomplishments, Boisson is only the third woman in history to make the semi-finals in her Roland-Garros debut. Her extraordinary performance is set to significantly impact her career, guaranteeing her a rise to at least world No. 65 in the upcoming WTA rankings, a position that will make her the top-ranked Frenchwoman. This deep run has also secured her €690,000 in prize money so far, with the potential to earn an additional €585,000 if she becomes only the second Frenchwoman in the last two decades (after Mary Pierce in 2005) to reach the Roland-Garros final.

The match

The quarter-final clash was a testament to Boisson's fighting spirit. The first set was an exhaustive battle, stretching over 80 minutes, during which Boisson found herself down a break on two separate occasions. Despite Andreeva holding two set points – one at 5-3 and another in the tiebreak – it was the resilient Frenchwoman who delivered the decisive blow, clinching the tiebreak 8-6.

Andreeva started the second set with renewed confidence, quickly establishing a 3-0 lead after saving a break point in her opening service game. However, Boisson, undeterred by her underdog status and spurred on by the fervent support of the Court Philippe-Chatrier crowd, capitalized on what appeared to be a mental shift in Andreeva, perhaps overwhelmed by her tag as the "overwhelming" favorite. Boisson seized the momentum, breaking back and then dominating the remainder of the set, winning the final six games. She dramatically fell to the ground in disbelief after converting match point, capping off an unforgettable victory.

Boisson: 'It is unbelievable'

Speaking to Lucas Pouille during her emotional on-court interview, Boisson struggled to articulate her feelings. "It is unbelievable," she stated. "It was amazing to feel supported like this. There are no words for this feeling." Her remarks carried extra weight as she alluded to past "difficult moments," referencing an ACL injury that heartbreakingly forced her to decline a rare wildcard entry into the 2024 edition of the Parisian Grand Slam. "I think that whatever the situation last year and difficult moments that we went through, it’s unbelievable to come from there but it’s thanks to my team who supported me. Thanks to all of us really.”

The women's singles surprise package will now face Coco Gauff in a highly anticipated semi-final clash on Thursday. When asked about her recovery preparations for the upcoming challenge against the American, Boisson humorously quipped, “Well, I’m going to try and recover. Going to see the physios, there are six physios in my box, so I have plenty of choice. I’ll do my routine and I’ll be ready.”