PARIS — In a stunning debut at Roland-Garros, French wild-card player Loïs Boisson has captured the spotlight by making it to the quarterfinals against all odds.
Ranked a modest 361st, Boisson let out an exhilarating cheer after toppling the No. 3 seed, Jessica Pegula, with a score of 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 on the iconic Court Philippe-Chatrier this past Monday.
This remarkable victory positions Boisson as the lowest-ranked woman in 40 years to defeat a top-five opponent at the French Open, surpassing the previous record held by No. 179 Aniko Kapros, who ousted No. 5 Justine Henin in the first round back in 2002.
Moreover, she claims the title of the lowest-ranked female player to advance to the quarterfinals at Roland-Garros since at least 1985.
This victory is particularly impressive, given that Pegula was the runner-up at the U.S. Open last year. Boisson faced immense pressure while serving for the match, bravely saving three break points.
When Pegula misfired on an easy-looking winner and buried her face in her hands, Boisson seized her first match point—the most pivotal moment of her career.
As Pegula returned a fierce serve, Boisson struck a stunning forehand winner down the line, raising her arms in triumph as the reality of her achievement dawned on her.
“Thank you so much for being here,” Boisson expressed to the audience during her post-match talk. “The atmosphere on this court was absolutely unforgettable.”
Her light-heartedness amused the notoriously tough crowd as she quipped, “I’m really enjoying myself here. I could stay forever if you’d like!”
The audience erupted into chants of “Loïs! Loïs!” as she waved joyfully back at them.
Currently, Boisson is the last French player remaining in the singles tournament and feels right at home on the clay courts, having played on them since picking up a racket at age 8.
When asked about her goals for the upcoming matches, where she will face sixth-seeded Mirra Andreeva in the quarterfinals, she confidently stated, “I hope to win, don’t you think?”
This comment drew laughter from the audience, which included tournament director Amelie Mauresmo, who has recently faced scrutiny regarding the scheduling of women’s matches during night sessions.
What else unfolded at the French Open on Monday?
Another thrilling quarterfinal matchup was announced featuring No. 2 Coco Gauff against No. 7 Madison Keys. Gauff, the 2023 U.S. Open champion, dominated No. 20 Ekaterina Alexandrova with a score of 6-0, 7-5, while Keys, the Australian Open titleholder, overcame fellow American Hailey Baptiste 6-3, 7-5.
Over on Court Suzanne-Lenglen, the talented 18-year-old Andreeva, who reached the semifinals last year, triumphed over No. 17 Daria Kasatkina 7-5, 6-3. The two friends shared a laugh when Kasatkina playfully tossed her wristband to Andreeva at the net, to which Andreeva cheekily responded she would save it.
In the men’s bracket, Novak Djokovic celebrated his 100th career French Open victory and prepared for a quarterfinal clash against No. 3 Alexander Zverev, last year’s finalist. No. 62 Alexander Bublik caused a stir by defeating No. 5 Jack Draper 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4, setting up a matchup against either No. 1 Jannik Sinner or No. 17 Andrey Rublev, who were slated for a night match.
Djokovic decisively beat Cam Norrie with a score of 6-2, 6-3, 6-2, while Zverev was leading 6-4, 3-0 when Tallon Griekspoor withdrew due to an abdominal strain.
What can we expect at Roland-Garros on Tuesday?
Day 10 will kick off the quarterfinals. The women’s matches include No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka facing Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng, and three-time defending champion Iga Swiatek against No. 13 Elina Svitolina.
In men’s competition, No. 8 Lorenzo Musetti will go against No. 15 Frances Tiafoe, while defending champion Carlos Alcaraz takes on No. 12 Tommy Paul during the evening session. Tiafoe and Paul mark the first time the U.S. has sent two men to the quarterfinals since Jim Courier and Pete Sampras in 1996, with no representation since Andre Agassi in 2003.
