In a remarkable turn of events, French wild card entry Lois Boisson pulled off an upset victory against No.3 seed Jessica Pegula on Monday at Court Philippe-Chatrier. This stunning win marked her fourth-round debut at the Grand Slam tournament and has sent shockwaves through the tennis world.
Boisson, 22 years old and currently ranked No.361 in the WTA rankings, has made history by becoming the lowest-ranked quarter-finalist at a Grand Slam event since Kaia Kanepi at the 2017 US Open. While her ranking may seem low compared to other players, Boisson’s impressive performance is not entirely without precedent.
Players who have achieved similar success in recent years include Tsvetana Pironkova and Kim Clijsters, both of whom made deep runs in major tournaments after being ranked outside the top 100. Clijsters, a former world No.1, won her second US Open title in 2009, while Pironkova reached the final eight at Queens in 2020.
However, Boisson’s achievement is all the more remarkable given her uncharted territory as a wild card entry and debutant in the main draw. Only two players have achieved this feat since the Open era began, with Mary Pierce being the other example in 2002.
Boisson herself was overwhelmed by the news of her historic win, saying “I trust in myself, but for sure, if you say that, no, I can’t believe.” She expressed gratitude and happiness at being able to make it to the quarter-finals, stating that it’s a dream come true. With Raducanu’s Cinderella story still fresh in mind, there’s no doubt that Boisson will be on everyone’s radar as she looks to continue her impressive run.
Source: https://www.rolandgarros.com/en-us/article/what-next-for-lois-boisson