Latest news with #MaryPierce
Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Times
Lois Boisson rides tide of home support to claim French Open semi spot
Carried by a passionate wave of home support on Court Philippe Chatrier, France's Lois Boisson produced another astounding upset to continue her dream run at Roland Garros. The 22-year-old world No361 has become the first wild card in the open era to reach the women's singles semi-finals at the French Open. This remarkable breakthrough by Boisson continues to astonish. So many French players in the past have crumbled under the pressure on home soil in recent times, with no singles winner here since Mary Pierce 25 years ago. Even Amelie Mauresmo, a former world No1 and Wimbledon champion, used to struggle on the Paris clay, going no further than the quarter-finals. In stark contrast, Boisson is rising to the occasion on the biggest stage in her country with a steely composure that belies this being her grand-slam debut. After knocking out the No3 seed Jessica Pegula from a set down on Monday she produced another fightback from two first-set points down in a 7-6 (8-6), 6-3 win over the No6 seed Mirra Andreeva.
National Post
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- National Post
Wild-card Lois Boisson stuns No. 6 Mirra Andreeva to reach French Open semis
The run continues for the 361st-ranked Lois Boisson at Roland-Garros. Article content After taking down third-seeded Jessica Pegula in the previous round, the French wild-card entry upset sixth-ranked Mirra Andreeva 7-6 (6), 6-3 Wednesday in front of a boisterous and largely partisan crowd to reach the semifinals of the French Open. Article content Article content A year ago, Boisson tore the ACL in her left knee just a week before her home Grand Slam tournament started, preventing her from accepting an invitation to play. On Thursday, she will have the chance to advance to the final. Article content 'It's incredible, no matter what, given what happened last year and all the difficult moments I went through,' Boisson said during her post-match interview. Article content The 22-year-old Boisson was largely unknown outside tennis circles before capturing the spotlight in Paris. She is playing in her first Grand Slam main draw and became the first woman to reach the semifinals at her debut major tournament since 1989, when Monica Seles and Jennifer Capriati both did it at the French Open. Article content She is also the youngest French semifinalist at a Grand Slam event since Amelie Mauresmo at Wimbledon in 1999. The last Frenchwoman to win the title at Roland-Garros was Mary Pierce, 25 years ago. Article content Under the closed roof of court Philippe-Chatrier, Andreeva repeatedly showed her frustration with the crowd, as excited fans chanted 'Lois, Lois' between points, waved Tricolor flags, shouted during play, and even applauded the Russian teenager's errors. Article content The first set was marked by momentum swings and brilliant shot-making from both players. Boisson twice found herself down a break but fought back each time, using heavy spin and deep groundstrokes to trouble her Russian opponent. Article content Article content Andreeva grew visibly tense on key points, struggling to maintain her composure and wasting a chance to close out the set when up 5-3. Despite saving three set points and forcing a tiebreaker, she ultimately handed the set to Boisson with two consecutive backhand errors. Article content Andreeva responded strongly at the start of the second set, racing to a 3-0 lead. But Boisson broke back with a thunderous backhand winner down the line, drawing a roar of approval from the lively crowd. Article content Andreeva received a warning after netting a routine forehand volley and angrily hitting a ball into the stands. She then argued with the umpire over a call that gave Boisson three break points. Andreeva saved the first one with a forehand winner then double-faulted, and never recovered. Article content 'The first set was super intense, and I was really struggling at the start of the second, but I managed to regroup and finish like that,' said Boisson, who will make a big jump in the rankings. Article content Having reached a career high of No. 152 last year before her knee injury, Boisson will climb at least to No. 68 on Monday. And that could be even higher if she manages to pull off a third straight shocker against the No. 2-seeded Coco Gauff in the semifinals.
The Independent
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
World No 361 Lois Boisson stuns Mirra Andreeva to reach French Open semi-finals
World No 361 Lois Boisson stunned sixth seed Mirra Andreeva to reach the French Open semi-finals and continue her fairytale run at her home grand slam. Wildcard Boisson, 22, won a thriller 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 at a raucous Court Philippe-Chatrier and will face Coco Gauff in the semi-finals as she bids to become the first Frenchwoman since Mary Pierce 25 years ago to win the title. Boisson fell to her back and covered her face with her hands after Andreeva double-faulted on match point and told the crowd: 'It is amazing. There are no words for this feeling.' The 18-year-old Andreeva was bidding to reach a second consecutive French Open semi-final but struggled to play against the crowd on a packed centre court and lost control of her game and her temperament. The Russian teeanger led 5-3 in the first set and was up a break in the second but came under pressure from the inspired and relentless Boisson and received a warning from the umpire when she whacked a ball into the crowd in frustration after going down a break in the second. Boisson has now reached the semi-finals on her grand slam debut. She was supposed to take the wildcard last year, but suffered a serious knee injury when she ruptured her ACL a week before the Roland Garros main draw. It took Boisson nine months to recover, with her ranking plummeting to 361 in the world. Boisson was the last French player standing in both men's and women's singles draws when she defeated compatriot Elsa Jacquemont in the third round. She stepped onto Court Philippe-Chatrier for the first time when she played third seed Jessica Pegula in the last-16, stunning the American 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in two hours and 40 minutes.
Asharq Al-Awsat
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Asharq Al-Awsat
French Open Organizers Scrap 25th Anniversary Ceremony for Mary Pierce as She Can't Attend
A ceremony to honor Mary Pierce, the last Frenchwoman to win the title at Roland-Garros 25 years ago, has been scrapped because she can't attend, French Open organizers said on Wednesday. The ceremony was scheduled to take place on Thursday between the women's semifinals at the clay-court Grand Slam tournament. But Pierce is unable to be there this week 'due to personal reasons,' organizers said. Pierce's title at the 2000 French Open was the most recent in singles for a French player, male or female, at Roland-Garros. The 50-year-old Pierce also won the doubles title that year. Her other Grand Slam singles title came at the 1995 Australian Open, and she helped France win two Fed Cup titles. The ceremony was supposed to celebrate the 25th anniversary of her title at Roland-Garros, as well as her 2019 induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, French Open organizers said.
Hamilton Spectator
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
French Open organizers scrap 25th anniversary ceremony for Mary Pierce as she can't attend
PARIS (AP) — A ceremony to honor Mary Pierce, the last Frenchwoman to win the title at Roland-Garros 25 years ago, has been scrapped because she can't attend, French Open organizers said on Wednesday. The ceremony was scheduled to take place on Thursday between the women's semifinals at the clay-court Grand Slam tournament. But Pierce is unable to be there this week 'due to personal reasons,' organizers said. Pierce's title at the 2000 French Open was the most recent in singles for a French player, male or female, at Roland-Garros. The 50-year-old Pierce also won the doubles title that year. Her other Grand Slam singles title came at the 1995 Australian Open, and she helped France win two Fed Cup titles. The ceremony was supposed to celebrate the 25th anniversary of her title at Roland-Garros, as well as her 2019 induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, French Open organizers said. ___ More AP tennis:
