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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.
