Latest news with #Frenchwoman
Western Telegraph
18 hours ago
- Western Telegraph
Pembrokeshire man's book tells ancestor's WWII escape story
Adam Hart, from Narberth, has penned his debut book, Operation Pimento: My Great-Grandfather's Great Escape. In it, he recounts the perilous journey of his great-grandfather, Squadron Leader Frank Griffiths, who was the sole survivor of a plane crash during a secret mission in 1943. The crash, which occurred near Annecy, France, claimed the lives of five civilians and all six of Frank's crew. Frank's story, however, did not end with the crash. Instead, it marked the beginning of a remarkable 1,400-mile, 108-day escape. With the help of ordinary people, including children, villagers, farmers, rebels, and soldiers, Frank navigated a dangerous path to safety in Gibraltar. His journey included hiding in a Frenchwoman's chimney, in an attic over a brothel, and in a Spanish prison cell, as well as a gruelling trek over the Pyrenees. Fast forward 79 years, and Mr Hart embarked on a journey of his own, retracing his great-grandfather's escape route step by step. Along the way, he met the descendants of the brave individuals who had risked their lives to assist Frank. Mr Hart first got the idea for the book when he won a travel bursary to retrace his great-grandfather's escape during his studies at Cardiff University. He said: "Having grown up hearing Frank's story, I always thought of my great-grandfather as a hero. "But during my journey across Europe, I realised the true heroes in this story were the people of France who risked, and in some cases later faced, imprisonment, torture, and execution to save him. "I'm so grateful to Hodder & Stoughton for keeping not only Frank's story alive, but also these incredible French civilians." Operation Pimento: My Great-Grandfather's Great Escape is available in hardback, eBook, and audio for £22 from June 5.
Express Tribune
19 hours ago
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Lois Boisson becomes the star at Roland Garros 2025 with shock win over Jessica Pegula
In one of the most unexpected twists at this year's French Open, French wildcard Lois Boisson defeated third seed Jessica Pegula 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 on Court Philippe Chatrier, becoming the lowest-ranked player in over a decade to reach a Grand Slam quarter-final. Ranked 361st in the world and making her main draw debut at a major, Boisson, 22, held her nerve in the deciding set, saving four break points at 5-4 before sealing the match with a decisive forehand winner. The Court erupted into chants of 'Lois!' as she celebrated the victory, her arms raised to the sky. 'Playing on this court, with this atmosphere, was amazing,' Boisson said in her post-match interview. 'I gave my all and in the end I won, which is just incredible. I hope I'm going to win it all.' Pegula, the US Open runner-up and one of the favourites in Paris, struggled to find answers to Boisson's varied play. Though she rebounded after an early third-set break, it was the Frenchwoman who delivered in the clutch moments. Boisson's journey to this moment is remarkable. Just a year ago, she tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee and missed nine months of the season. She was unable to even watch the French Open in 2024. Determined to return, she underwent neurovisual training and worked on her reflexes using VR simulations. She returned to the WTA Tour in April and used her home Grand Slam wildcard to beat 24th seed Elise Mertens and compatriot Elsa Jacquemot before facing Pegula—her first-ever opponent ranked inside the world's top 50. Sporting a tattoo of the word resilience on her right elbow, Boisson showed it in full measure. After being outplayed in the first set, she found rhythm with a key backhand winner in the second, and eventually took control of the match. Boisson is the lowest-ranked player to reach a French Open quarter-final since Serena Williams, then world No. 451, in 2018. The last player ranked as low to reach any Grand Slam quarter-final was Kaia Kanepi, then world No. 418, at the 2017 US Open. Next, she will face sixth seed Mirra Andreeva in a bid to reach her maiden Grand Slam semi-final.
Straits Times
19 hours ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
All grown up: Mirra Andreeva ‘mentally and physically' stronger at French Open
PARIS – Mirra Andreeva believes she has finally grown up as a player, as the Russian teenager got the better of regular practice partner Daria Kasatkina on June 2 to reach the French Open quarter-finals for a second consecutive year. The 18-year-old, seeded sixth at Roland Garros, earned a 6-3, 7-5 win against Russian-born Kasatkina, the world No. 17 who now competes for Australia. She will next take on 361st-ranked Frenchwoman Lois Boisson who shocked third seed Jessica Pegula. 'I think I am much stronger than I was two years ago,' Andreeva said. 'I think that for me, the most important two points that changed is I improved physically and also mentally. I'm much more positive right now on the court, and I think that also is one of the keys for me. 'And yeah, I'm always trying to now fight for every point no matter what happens.' She reached the semi-finals last year with a shock quarter-final win over Aryna Sabalenka, and she is hoping for another strong performance with both Sabalenka and reigning champion Iga Swiatek in the other half of the draw. 'I was prepared for the battle, last time we played each other I lost in three sets and it was a pretty dramatic match,' said Andreeva, who suffered a tearful loss to Kasatkina in the Ningbo final last year in China. 'I don't know what changed, but today... It gives me confidence. I'm happy I closed the match in two sets.' Kasatkina believes world No. 6 Andreeva, who already has three WTA titles to her name, is hitting her stride. 'Honestly, I feel like she's taller and taller every single week,' said the 28-year-old. 'I see a lot with the serve that she's improving because of practising a lot, so I see that her serve improving every time. Mentally she became stronger as well, but this is something I see every time we are hitting the practice court.' For herself, she is feeling the love like never before after her the bold decision to switch nationalities. After a spell as a neutral athlete, with Russians and Belarusians banned from competing on tour under their own flags over Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Kasatkina's application for permanent residency was accepted by Australia earlier in 2025. The 28-year-old, who has not returned to Russia after coming out as gay and speaking out against the war, has found plenty of new fans at events, and said following her loss to Andreeva that it was a new experience. 'Honestly, it's been a good result, first of all, but also I felt super good, to step on the court as an Australian player,' Kasatkina said. 'To feel the support from the stands... On social media, I'm getting a lot of support from the Australians. They're so happy to welcome me and are happy for me. This support which I honestly didn't have before. 'It feels like it's something new to me, but it feels so nice. There could be better results. Always could be better, but I think it's a good start.' AFP, REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Glasgow Times
a day ago
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Wild card Lois Boisson shocks third seed Jessica Pegula at French Open
The 22-year-old, ranked 361 in the world, stunned American Pegula 3-6 6-4 6-4 in front of a delirious Court Philippe-Chatrier crowd. Boisson's only real claim to fame prior to this year's tournament was being the player Britain's Harriet Dart complained to an umpire about, saying 'tell her to wear deodorant'. But she came up smelling of roses on Monday afternoon after a famous win in the French capital. It was an emotional victory for Boisson, who was due to make her debut in Paris last year only to suffer a serious knee injury a fortnight before the tournament which kept her out of action for nine months. Boisson was not even sure she would receive a wildcard, with her ranking having plunged so low. She is now the first Frenchwoman to reach the last eight since Caroline Garcia in 2017, and the first wildcard since Mary Pierce in 2002. 'I didn't expect anything, because we don't know every time if we will get it or not, so I prefer not to expect it,' she said. 'When I received it, I was really happy. I hope to go further – to win if I can. I will try to do my best, and let's see. 'For the match point, I really felt very tense. And when I saw that my forehand was a winner, well, the whole pressure went off. 'I was just so happy to win and to be able to play a quarter-final.' Boisson will meet Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva, the sixth seed, in the last eight. Coco Gauff moved serenely into the last eight (Thibault Camus/AP) Coco Gauff, the world number two, is moving quietly through the draw after beating Russian 20th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-0 7-5. The 21-year-old, runner-up in 2022, is into the quarter-finals for the fifth successive year. She will face another American, the Australian Open champion Madison Keys, who beat Hailey Baptiste in straight sets. In the men's draw, world number one Jannik Sinner was untroubled in the night match, beating Russian 17th seed Andrey Rublev 6-1 6-3 6-4 in under two hours. The Italian will face Alexander Bublik in the last eight after the world number 62 from Kazahkstan came from a set and a break down to oust British fifth seed Jack Draper in four sets.
LeMonde
a day ago
- Entertainment
- LeMonde
Loïs Boisson stuns world No. 3, continuing her fairy tale run at Roland-Garros
For elite athletes, anything goes when it comes to landing a sponsor. In 2009, former French pole vaulter Romain Mesnil filmed himself running naked through the streets of Paris, posting the stunt on social media to catch a sponsor's eye. 16 years later, tennis player Loïs Boisson had her own moment of sudden online fame – though not by choice. At the Rouen tournament in April, her opponent, Harriet Dart, complained to the umpire, asking her to tell the French player to "wear deodorant" because "she smells really bad." The British player's lack of class, caught by cameras, went viral on social media and did not escape the notice of Boisson, a native of Dijon. She chose to laugh it off. "Dove [deodorant] apparently needs a collab," she wrote on Instagram at the time, offering her services to cosmetics brands. A few weeks later, on Monday, June 2, Boisson toppled world No. 3 Jessie Pegula (3-6, 6-4, 6-4) and continued her remarkable run at Roland-Garros, no longer in need of self-promotion. The 22-year-old Frenchwoman secured a place in the quarterfinals, where she will face Russia's Mirra Andreeva on Wednesday.
