Will Gauff end Boisson's rampant run or will her dream story continue?
With the semi-final matchups all set at this year’s French Open, we have 4 exciting matches to look forward to. On the women’s side, the second semi-final features the number 2 seed Coco Gauff in action against French wildcard Lois Boisson.
There will be a lot of intrigue surrounding this match, with local talent Boisson making a shockingly deep run in her first-ever main draw at a major. It has been a dream run thus far, and the Parisian crowd will be in full swing to support their player on the biggest stage.
Gauff, meanwhile, is chasing her second Grand Slam and definitely knows a thing or two about big semi-finals like this one today. The American made the final at Roland Garros back in 2022, but lost in straight sets to Iga Swiatek.
A lot is on the line for both players, as Gauff chases another big win, while Boisson looks to continue her fairytale run. This semi-final clash is expected to bring out the fireworks.
Gauff started out the year with mixed results. Although she made it to the quarter-finals at the Australian Open, there were a few early exits along the way. However, she started to find her way in Madrid, making it to the final with big wins over Mirra Andreeva and Iga Swiatek.
She followed that up with a second consecutive final in Rome, jumping two spots to become the new world number 2. So far, the American has dropped just one set on her way to the semi-final and came through a gritty three-set win over Madison Keys in the quarters.
Gauff has been returning very well this year, converting on 53% of her break points and winning an incredible 43.8% of her return games. However, on serve, her 193 double faults on the year are quite concerning.
As for Boisson, the French player hasn’t had much success in the main WTA tour. The majority of her titles have come on the ITF circuit (6), with just one win at a WTA 125 event in Saint-Malo.
Nevertheless, her French Open run is completely unexpected as she has battled like a champion to reach this stage. Beginning her journey with a first-round win over the 24th seed Elise Mertens, she then defeated Anhelina Kalinina and compatriot Elsa Jacquemot in the second and third rounds respectively.
However, the biggest wins of her career came in round four when she defeated the world number 3 Jessica Pegula in a tough three-set battle and then cruised past 6th seed Mirra Andreeva in the quarter-final.
As today’s semi-final in Paris will be the pair’s first-ever meeting, there is no head-to-head record for these players currently. But it will be fascinating to see how both players tackle the unknown and find ways to gain the upper hand.
At the moment, Gauff is well ahead of Boisson in terms of their overall success on tour. The American has 9 tour titles, including the US Open in 2023, and has reached a career-high of number 2 in the world. Boisson has taken her first major step at this level of the sport and has only reached as high as 152 in the rankings.
| Coco Gauff | Category | Lois Boisson |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Ranking | 361 |
| 253-107 | Career W-L | 132-79 |
| 24-8 | YTD W-L | 16-7 |
| 9 | Career Titles | 0 |
| 1 | Grand Slams | 0 |
| 0 | YTD Titles | 0 |
On paper, the vast difference between the two gives a clear edge to Gauff. However, the 21-year-old hasn’t been at her best despite continuing to win. Her ability to reset rallies and a strong backhand could pose problems to Boisson, but it would be wrong to completely rule out the French player now.
Boisson made it this far with a unique game with her heavy topspin forehands. She has a powerful baseline game, and it could leave the American scrambling around during points. And let’s not forget about the overwhelmingly large crowd support for Boisson in this match, which is always a positive.
Prediction: Boisson in three.
The betting odds have Gauff as the favorite, but judging by the way Boisson has played, she has a strong chance at yet another upset. With two consecutive wins against top ten players, her forehand that generates heavy top spin is well suited for clay and could prove the difference maker in this semi-final.
Coco Gauff Win: 1/6
Lois Boisson Win: 17/4
(According to BetMGM)
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