Lois Boisson, a 22-year-old French wildcard ranked 361 in the world, caused a major upset at Roland Garros. She defeated third seed Jessica Pegula in a thrilling match to reach the quarter-finals of the French Open.
Boisson came from behind to win 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 on Monday, delighting the crowd at Court Philippe-Chatrier. Her victory shocked fans and tennis experts alike.
Before this, Boisson was mostly known for a past controversy. British player Harriet Dart had once complained to an umpire about her, saying, “tell her to wear deodorant.” But now, the young Frenchwoman is making headlines for all the right reasons.
The win was especially emotional for Boisson. Last year, she was supposed to make her French Open debut but injured her knee just two weeks before the tournament. The injury kept her off the court for nine months.
Now, she’s back stronger than ever and will face Russian teenager and sixth seed Mirra Andreeva in the quarter-finals.
After her stunning win, Boisson told the crowd, “I don’t know what to say, but thank you. Playing on this court in such a great atmosphere, it was incredible.” She added, “I knew I could do it but I knew she was super strong but after a while I realised it was a proper contest.”
Boisson will now earn at least £369,000 in prize money. That’s a huge jump from her previous career total of just £15,500.
This surprise victory has made Boisson one of the most talked-about players of this year’s French Open.
