Jannik Sinner may be chasing his piece of history at Roland Garros, but he took a moment to appreciate someone else’s remarkable journey. And it’s none other than France’s rising star, Lois Boisson.
Boisson, ranked World No. 361, pulled off one of the biggest upsets to reach the semifinals, becoming the first Frenchwoman to make the last four at Roland Garros since 2011. The 21-year-old wildcard defeated 18-year-old sixth seed Mirra Andreeva in a quarterfinal clash, sending the home crowd into raptures.
Sinner, who has known Boisson from their early training days, couldn’t hide his admiration for her progress.
“It’s amazing, no? That’s exactly what France needs. Something very new, very special,” Sinner said. “Great mentality. I think she’s someone who’s quite calm on the court. At least she seems like it. She had knee surgery not long ago. Even that gives her some great confidence hopefully for her future.”
For the uninitiated, according to the tennis professional, the two crossed paths earlier in their careers, having trained briefly at the same center. “We practiced sometimes together there. So I know her already from some time ago,” Jannik Sinner revealed.
He further added, “I saw her before the tournament in the gym. We talked a bit about how things are. She was very happy. Having a wildcard here, it’s a special tournament for her, being French.”
On the day of Boisson’s big win, Sinner also had a personal encounter with her. With rain disrupting play, Sinner called ahead to find a practice court. To which, Boisson offered to warm up with him.
The praises went on as Sinner talked about her style of play. Continuing his train of thought, he concluded:
“She said straight away ‘yes.’ We just hit some balls. And it was a very consistent warm-up. Different game style for a woman, because the ball is quite high and quite spinny. Physically very strong. She deserves to be in the position she’s in right now. We wish her all the best for the future.”
While Boisson’s run continues to inspire the French crowd, it’s clear the tennis professional has earned the respect of some of the biggest names. Her journey from injury setbacks to Roland Garros semifinalist is already one of the most heartwarming stories of the tournament, with fans cheering loudly for her.
