Boisson wins maiden WTA title
A surprise Roland Garros semi-finalist last month, Boisson won 7-5, 6-3 to give France a first success on the WTA circuit since Caroline Garcia at the season-ending Tour Finals in November 2022.
"This is the first time I've given a (tournament winner's) speech, so please bear with me," the 22-year-old said before offering a simple "Danke" ("Thank you") to the German crowd.
Fifth seed Boisson rallied from 5-2 down in the first set and survived a break in the second.
Boisson hit headlines last month when as a wild card in her Grand Slam main-draw debut and ranked 361st in the world she reached the French Open last four before being beaten by eventual winner Coco Gauff.
Boisson, now ranked 63rd and set to join the top 50 on Monday, lost her first qualifying match on grass at Wimbledon, but back on her favoured surface clay returned to winning ways.
Bondar, ranked 77, had got off to a flying start with a double-break for 4-0.
The Hungarian served for the set at 5-2, but was unable to close in that game, and Boisson took full advantage.
The Frenchwoman wrapped up her first-set comeback with another break, winning the last five games in a row.
At the start of the second set, Bondar, who won the final on this same court last year when the tournament was not yet a WTA 250 event, broke serve.
But Boisson erased the break with a dropshot winner to earn a love break and pull back on serve at 3-3.
She dug deep to break for 5-3, staving off a break point in the last game and grabbed her first WTA title.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
5 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Tsitsipas splits with coach Ivanisevic after less than two months
Stefanos Tsitsipas has ended his collaboration with coach Goran Ivanisevic after less than two months, the former world number three said. 'Working with Goran Ivanisevic was brief but an intense experience and a truly valuable chapter in my journey,' Tsitsipas posted on his Instagram story on Wednesday. Tsitsipas, ranked 29th, appointed Ivanisevic as his coach in May after a string of disappointing results at the Grand Slams. The 2021 French Open and 2023 Australian Open runner-up was forced to retire from his Wimbledon first-round match in June while trailing 6-3 6-2 to French qualifier Valentin Royer due to a back injury. Following Tsitsipas' opening round exit at Wimbledon, Ivanisevic gave a scathing assessment of the 26-year-old Greek, saying he has 'never seen a more unprepared player' in his life. Tsitsipas has made one quarter-final in his last nine Grand Slam tournaments. Tsitsipas expressed thanks 'for the time, effort and energy he dedicated to me and my team'. Sinner re-appoints former fitness coach Ferrara 'As we are now following our separate ways, I have only respect for Goran — not just for what he's achieved in tennis, but also for who he is as a person. I wish him nothing but the very best moving forward.' Ivanisevic, who won Wimbledon as a player in 2001, helped Novak Djokovic claim nine of his 24 Grand Slam titles before leaving his team in March last year. He then had a short stint with Kazakh world number 12 Elena Rybakina this season.
Express Tribune
10 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Paret-Peintre lands first TdF stage
Valentin Paret-Peintre became the first French winner on this year's Tour de France as he edged an enthralling stage 16 on Tuesday, pipping Ireland's Ben Healy atop the mythical 1910m altitude Mont Ventoux summit finish. Behind them Jonas Vingegaard attacked overall leader Tadej Pogacar relentlessly but the defending champion tracked the Dane all the way up the 15km ascent to extend his lead by two seconds. Trailing by 4min 13sec at the start of this stage Vingegaard attacked with 9km to climb on Mont Ventoux, whose eery upper reaches resemble a lunar landscape. "I didn't want to push too hard and then let him have me on a counter-attack. I kept my rhythm as much as I could," said Pogacar who has been fighting off a cold this week. "He attacked many times but I just tried to hold his wheel." Vingegaard was knocked off his bike by a motorbike after the finish line but was unhurt, remounting to go and congratulate Pogacar on another fine battle. "He seemed okay," Pogacar said later. Pogacar's Team UAE boss described Vingegaard as a "warrior". "He's got the guts and the legs and we expect him to keep on attacking every day now. He's a warrior," Mauro Gianetti said. The battle for the overall lead, however, was eclipsed by a frantic fight for the stage win between EF's Healy and Soudal Quick-Step's Paret-Peintre who became the first French winner on Mont Ventoux since Richard Virenque in 2002. "He looked so happy at the finish line," said Pogacar, who crossed the summit 43sec adrift. Mont Ventoux has long been held in awe by riders and spectators alike and it has witnessed some of the greatest dramas and tragedies of the Tour. In 1967, the British cyclist Tom Simpson died here after collapsing on a baking climb. The great Eddy Merckx once needed oxygen at the summit while Chris Froome ran part of the way up during a frantic wait for mechanical assistance on his way to a third Tour de France title in 2016. Healy, who wore the yellow jersey for two days after winning the Bastille Day stage six, appeared to be heading for his second stage win as the two riders approached the finish of an epic tussle. Paret-Peintre looked completely drained but, cheered on by the home crowd, he found a final surge of strength to overtake the Irishman with 20 metres remaining and held on to the line. "I was near giving up, Healy was so strong but I said to myself come on, it's the Tour de France, Mont Ventoux," said Paret-Peintre.
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Express Tribune
Pogacar 'ready to fight Vingegaard'
Jonas Vingegaard and reigning champion Tadej Pogacar are set for a dramatic battle in the final week of the Tour de France. Photo: AFP Tadej Pogacar said Monday he was ready to fight every kilometre with arch-rival Jonas Vingegaard in his bid for a fourth Tour de France title. Far from resting on his laurels with a four-minute lead in the standings, defending champion Pogacar insisted his thoughts were on closing out the win in the six days of riding left. On the second rest day in the 21-day, 3,400km slog around France, Pogacar appeared much more mature than the 20-year-old who won the first of his three titles in 2020. "You learn every week, every day on this race that you must stay focused," said the 26-year-old Team UAE rider. "This is my sixth Tour. I miss the white jersey (for the best rider under 26), you know, but yes I've grown up, got more mature," said Pogacar. He said he had also grown into this Tour. "Nobody liked those stages at the start of the Tour, it was quite nerve-wracking, but you need to be focused," he said of the first week when he appeared a little annoyed at times. Pogacar headed into the Pyrenees last week second only to surprise leader Ben Healy of Ireland. But he grabbed the lead by winning two of the tough, mountainous triptych of stages, emerging 4min 13sec ahead of second-placed Vingegaard, with promising German rider Florian Lipowitz third. "I'm actually enjoying the Tour now," he said. 'Ready for a fight' Asked about whether he planned to take part in the Vuelta a Espana, which begins on August 23, or if he prefered to take a break after his exertions on the Tour, Pogacar said the only thing he was sure about was giving it everything in the final week in France. "Some riders are planning holidays. Not me. I'm thinking about the six days left. I haven't decided about racing the Vuelta. I'm not planning anything until after this Tour," he said. As the peloton prepares to soar into the Alps on Tuesday Pogacar said he was prepared for an attack from Vingegaard. "It's going to be tough. We are ready for a fight. With everybody, but especially Jonas, we've seen how strong he is. "There are three mountains where he has previously been faster than me, But it is not about names, that was always because of the race situation," he said, recalling how the Dane had come close to denying him the win in 2021, and took the title in 2022 and 2023 when Pogacar was runner-up. "It's not that I'm looking for revenge, I just want to do better," he said. "I'm confident in myself, but I know Jonas can be too. I need to keep eating and sleeping well, and hope the mood persists. "The group we have this year, at breakfast, on the bus, it's good. With the boys and the atmosphere, I'm happy to be part of this group, and I'd come here just to be with them regardless of the race."
