By Julien Pretot
PARIS (Reuters) -Lois Boisson sent the Roland Garros faithful into a state of euphoria on Wednesday, conjuring the unimaginable as she toppled Russian wunderkind Mirra Andreeva 7-6(6) 6-3 to reach the French Open semi-finals.
In her maiden Grand Slam main draw appearance, granted via a wild card, the world No. 361 became the first Frenchwoman to reach the Roland Garros last four since Marion Bartoli in 2011 — and she did it in style.
In a bleak year for French women’s tennis, with just one player inside the top 100, the 22-year-old Boisson — sidelined from last year’s tournament by a serious knee injury — stunned world number three Jessica Pegula in the fourth round before ousting the baby-faced but battle-hardened 18-year-old Andreeva, the world number six.
Next up? A clash with world number two Coco Gauff for a place in Saturday’s final.
“It’s incredible. Thank you for supporting me like this — I have no words,” Boisson told a delirious home crowd that chanted her name, roared at every point, and turned against Andreeva when the Russian’s frustrations boiled over.
“I ran a bit too much because I was so tense early on,” she admitted. “But I fought hard in that first set, which was so intense. At the start of the second, I felt a little empty, but I hung in there and finished the job.”
Andreeva, a semi-finalist in Paris last year, entered as the heavy favourite.
She looked to be cruising when she raced to a 3-1 lead under the closed roof on Court Philippe Chatrier. But Boisson refused to blink, point-by-point clawing her way back.
It was Andreeva who had to dig deep to stay alive, surviving a 14-minute game at 5-6 and saving three set points before forcing a tiebreak.
Even then, Boisson hung tough, recovering from 0-2, saving a set point, and snatching the set when an increasingly rattled Andreeva sent a forehand just wide.
After an exhausting 68-minute opening set, Andreeva regrouped to go 3-0 up in the second.
But once again, Boisson scrapped her way level as Andreeva cracked, earning a warning for ball abuse after launching a ball into the stands in frustration.
Boisson, locked in her bubble, broke for 4-3, triggering yet another deafening ovation. A gritty hold followed, as she saved two break points, before the Russian crumbled on serve.
As match point landed, Boisson collapsed onto the clay, then rose with arms aloft, her face streaked with terre battue and emotion.
On her right arm, a simple tattoo: RESILIENCE.
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
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