Laser-focused Gauff ends Boisson's dream run to reach French Open final
Coco Gauff ended local heroine Lois Boisson's dream run at the French Open as the American kept her cool in a fiery atmosphere to earn a ruthless 6-1 6-2 victory on Thursday, setting up a blockbuster final with top seed Aryna Sabalenka.
Laser-focused, the world number two subdued the French wild card and the home crowd to speed through the contest on Court Philippe Chatrier and reach the Roland Garros final for the second time after she lost to Iga Swiatek in 2022.
Boisson, ranked 361st with only two career matches on the main tour coming into the claycourt major, had downed world number three Jessica Pegula and Russian prodigy Mirra Andreeva in the previous rounds but she looked deflated against Gauff.
The 22-year-old will, however, pocket a career-changing 690,000 euros ($789,567) in prize money, while Gauff, 21, will have the chance to secure her second Grand Slam title after winning the 2023 US Open.
Playing a local favourite at Roland Garros in front of a notoriously fierce crowd can be a challenge even for the most seasoned players, but Gauff was ready.
"This is my first time playing a French player here. I was mentally prepared that it was to be 99% for her so I was trying to block it out," said Gauff.
Addressing the crowd, she added: "When you were saying her name, I was saying my name to myself just to psyche myself."
EXTRA SHOT
Gauff, who can become the first American since Serena Williams in 2015 to lift the Suzanne Lenglen Cup, clearly shifted up a gear after beating compatriot Madison Keys in an error-strewn quarter-final on Wednesday.
Her forehand was solid again, her backhand mesmerising at times and she served consistently throughout.
Boisson, on the other hand, made an unusual number of unforced errors as her opponent repeatedly forced her to go for the extra shot.
Gauff raced to a 4-0 lead under the Court Philippe Chatrier roof and never looked back, breaking to love at 3-2 in the second set right after Boisson broke her serve for the first time.
The American was on an eight-point winning streak and at the change of ends at 5-2, Boisson placed her towel over her head and hit herself in frustration.
"It's always the plan to start strong," said Gauff. "I knew it was important today. She's an incredible player, she proved to be one of the best players in the world, especially on clay. I'm sure we'll have more battles in the future."
DIRECT ENTRY
The first Frenchwoman to reach the last four at Roland Garros since Marion Bartoli in 2011, Boisson bowed out when she sent yet another forehand long.
She will climb up to 65th in the WTA rankings, which will all but guarantee her direct entry into the main draw at Grand Slams and top-tier events.
Boisson has her feet firmly on the ground, though.
"Of course the programme will change. It won't be what was planned at the beginning, considering my upcoming ranking," she told a press conference. "But, for the time being, I'm not going to make any particular changes because I think that if I'm here today it's because it works well and I don't see why I would change much.
"Today it was quite simply too tough for me. I couldn't manage to get my game going, but apart from today's match, which wasn't all positive, the tournament as a whole was very positive."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Etihad
3 hours ago
- Al Etihad
Honored Djokovic hints at possible Roland Garros farewell after semi-final loss
7 June 2025 15:12 PARIS (AFP)Novak Djokovic suggested he may well have bidden adieu to Roland Garros after the 38-year-old was defeated in the semi-finals by Jannik Sinner on his 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (7/3) loss to world number one Sinner, Djokovic stopped briefly on his way off Court Philippe Chatrier, and took a moment to "show his gratitude" to the Paris crowd."This could have been the last match ever I played here, so I don't know. That's why I was a bit more emotional even at the end," said the three-time champion Djokovic.'But if this was the farewell match of Roland Garros for me in my career, it was a wonderful one in terms of the atmosphere and what I got from the crowd.''Not the happiest because of the loss, but, you know, I tried to show my gratitude to the crowd, because they were terrific.'Djokovic hailed the backing he received against Sinner.'I don't think I have ever received this much support in this stadium in my career in big matches against the best players in the world. So very, very honored to experience that,' he added. Keep On Keeping OnHowever, the Serb allayed fears he would be calling time on his career just yet. He still stands on the brink of history after his latest tilt at a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title was more major victory would take him beyond Margaret Court and into outright-first on the list of players with the most Grand Slams.'At the moment I will try to stick with the plan what I had, which is playing the Grand Slams,' he said."Those tournaments are the priorities of my schedule, my calendar. Wimbledon and US Open, yes, they are in plans. That's all I can say right now."But I feel like I want to play Wimbledon, I want to play US Open. Those two, for sure. For the rest, I'm not so sure."Despite the latest setback, Djokovic still has the record in his sights and hopes it will be seventh time lucky when Wimbledon starts on June 30.'Obviously Wimbledon is next, which is my childhood favorite tournament. I'm going to do everything possible to get myself ready,' he said."I guess my best chances (of winning) maybe are Wimbledon, you know, to win another Slam, or faster hard court, maybe Australia or something like that."Djokovic has won the title at Wimbledon seven times and is the most dominant men's player in the history of the Australian Open, with 10 victories in asked how long he had been considering his future at Roland Garros, Djokovic cryptically replied: 'Not long. You know, I don't know. I don't really know what tomorrow brings in a way at this point in my career. You know, I'm going to keep on keeping on."Djokovic has appeared in the last 21 editions of the French Open -- lifting the Coupe des Mousquetaires in 2016, 2021 and 2023. Last summer, he secured the only big title to have eluded him through the majority of his career when he won Olympic gold on center court at Roland Garros.
Al Etihad
3 hours ago
- Al Etihad
Sinner faces defending champ Alcaraz in hotly anticipated French Open final
7 June 2025 15:01 PARIS (REUTERS)The French Open men's singles tournament will culminate with a blockbuster clash in Paris on No.1 Jannik Sinner faces defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the most eagerly anticipated men's singles final since the start of the Rafael Nadal era 20 years ago at Roland Garros, where the results were largely a foregone top seed Sinner has been impressive since his return from a doping ban last month, charging into Sunday's final without dropping a single set in his six matches in 23-year-old outclassed 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in their semi-final to confirm his superb form on clay after also reaching the final in Rome in May in his first tournament back from his ban. He was beaten there by Alcaraz in straight doubts that Sinner was lacking match practice were quickly dispelled by the ruthless efficiency with which he has dispatched all his opponents in Paris to set up a mouth-watering final against arguably the most gifted claycourt player since 14-time French Open champion had never before reached the final in Paris but he will be looking to add the Roland Garros title to his rapidly growing list of majors, which already includes two Australian Open crowns and last year's US is on a 20-match winning streak in Grand Slam tournaments after lifting the trophy in New York last year, and then clinching the title in Melbourne at the start of this year.'It doesn't get any bigger now,' Sinner said of his burgeoning rivalry with the 22-year-old Alcaraz, who has seven wins and two defeats against the Italian in their who is attempting to become only the third man to retain his Roland Garros title this century after Nadal and Gustavo Kuerten, has won the last four encounters with Sinner.'Grand Slam finals against Carlos, it's a special moment for me and for him, too. He won here last year, so let's see what's coming,' Sinner said."But for sure, the tension you feel before the match and during the match is a little bit different because we are both very young, we are both different, but talented. So let's see."Alcaraz's progression to the final has not been equally smooth, with the Spaniard dropping a set in four of his six matches, including in his semi-final against Italian Lorenzo Musetti, who retired injured at the start of the fourth his occasional lapses of concentration during his matches in Paris barely mask his lethal force on the won the clay court tournaments in Monte Carlo and Rome while also reaching the final in Barcelona in a near-perfect preparation for Paris. "If I want to play against Jannik, he's the best tennis player right now. I mean, he's destroying every opponent through (to) the semi-final,"Alcaraz said.
The National
6 hours ago
- The National
Novak Djokovic admits loss against Jannik Sinner might be his French Open farewell
Novak Djokovic admitted that he might have played his final match at Roland Garros following his semi-final loss to world No 1 Jannik Sinner. The 24-time Grand Slam winner, who turned 38 last month, conceded Sinner had been 'too good for me' after going down 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 to the Italian on Court Philippe Chatrier. Djokovic certainly made Sinner work for his victory which means the 23-year-old is now on a 20-match winning streak in majors as he heads into the final against defending champion Carlos Alcaraz. And after the match, Djokovic revealed he is yet to decide whether he will back again in Paris next year in a bid to win a fourth French Open crown. 'This could have been the last match ever I played here – I don't know. That's why it was a bit more emotional at the end,' said the Serbian, who was Roland Garros champion in 2016, 2021 and 2023. 'But if this was the farewell match of Roland Garros for me in my career, it was a wonderful one in terms of the atmosphere and what I got from the crowd.' When pressed on whether he would return, sixth seed Djokovic added: 'I don't know right now. Twelve months at this point in my career is quite a long time. 'Do I wish to play more? Yes, I do. But will I be able to play in 12 months' time here again? I don't know. That's all I can say for the moment.' But the former world No 1 did make clear that attempting to secure Grand Slam No 25 in London and New York later this year 'are the priorities of my schedule'. 'Wimbledon and US Open, yes, they are in plans,' he said of the tournaments where he has seven and four titles, respectively. 'That's all I can say right now. 'I feel like I want to play those two, for sure. For the rest, I'm not so sure. 'Wimbledon is my childhood favourite tournament. I'm going to do everything possible to get myself ready. 'I guess my best chances maybe are Wimbledon, you know, to win another Slam or maybe Australia.' Sunday's first major final between Sinner and Djokovic feels very much the like changing of the guard of a men's game that has been dominated for so long by Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. With the latter two now retired and the former seemingly closing in on calling it a day, the two young guns of world tennis have taken centre stage. Sinner, who is yet to drop a set in the tournament, will be hoping to gain revenge on Alcaraz after losing to the Spaniard in five sets in the semi-finals last year. Alcaraz has won his last four matches against Sinner, including in the Italian Open final in May when Sinner returned from a three-month doping ban. 'It takes time to compare us with the big three,' said Sinner, who will be playing in his first Roland Garros final. 'I believe that tennis or every sport needs rivalries, no? This could be potentially one of these, but there are amazing players coming up. 'Sunday is going to be very difficult, I know my head-to-head lately doesn't look great against Carlos but let's see what I can do,' added Sinner, who is a three-time Grand Slam champion. Alcaraz, meanwhile, secured his final spot against Sinner after his last-four opponent Lorenzo Musetti was forced to retire due to a leg injury with the Spaniard leading 4-6, 7-6, 6-0, 2-0. The world's top two played each other less than three weeks ago when Alcaraz came out on top in Rome but the four-time major winner is fully aware of the challenge ahead of him. 'He's the best tennis player right now,' Alcaraz said of the Italian. 'I mean, he's destroying every opponent. 'I love that battle. But most of the time is just about suffering, because [he pushes] you to the limit. 'It gives you feedback of how I can be a better player. I think that's important, and that's beautiful. Even if I win or not, it gives you a lot of stats and gives you feedback. 'It's going to be a really great Sunday for fans of tennis.'
