Gauff Ends Boisson's Run to Reach French Open Final

Photo:Photo by Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP

Coco Gauff ended local player Lois Boisson’s surprising run at the French Open with a confident 6-1, 6-2 win on Thursday, securing her place in the final against top seed Aryna Sabalenka.

Focused and calm, world number two Gauff handled the pressure of playing a home favourite on Court Philippe Chatrier. This is her second Roland Garros final after losing to Iga Swiatek last year.

Boisson, ranked 361st with little main tour experience, had shocked many by beating world number three Jessica Pegula and young star Mirra Andreeva. But she looked worn out and struggled against Gauff.

Despite the loss, the 22-year-old Boisson will earn a career-best 690,000 euros ($789,567), while Gauff, 21, aims to win her second Grand Slam after the 2023 US Open.

Playing a French player in front of a loud crowd is challenging, but Gauff was prepared. “I knew the crowd would mostly support her, so I tried to block it out,” she said. “When they cheered her name, I repeated mine in my head to stay focused.”

Gauff raised her level after a tough quarter-final against Madison Keys, showing strong forehands, smooth backhands, and steady serving. Boisson made many errors under pressure, unable to keep up.

Gauff quickly took a 4-0 lead and never let up. After Boisson broke serve once, Gauff immediately broke back and kept winning points. At 5-2, Boisson looked frustrated, covering her head with a towel.

“It’s always the plan to start strong,” said Gauff. “Boisson is an amazing player, especially on clay. I’m sure we’ll face each other again.”

Boisson became the first Frenchwoman in the Roland Garros semifinals since 2011 but fell after a long forehand. Her ranking will rise to 65th, likely granting her direct entry into major events.

She remains grounded. “My schedule will change because of my ranking, but I won’t make big changes yet. This plan brought me here, so I see no reason to change it much. Today was tough, but overall the tournament was very positive.”