By Julien Pretot
PARIS (Reuters) -At Roland Garros, a venue that has crushed generations of French players, world number 361 Lois Boisson is daring to dream of an improbable triumph after she stormed into the French Open semi-finals on Wednesday to continue her magnificent run.
The 22-year-old, in a Grand Slam main draw for the first time, beat Russian prodigy Mirra Andreeva in the quarter-finals having knocked out world number three Jessica Pegula in the previous round.
Her WTA ranking belies the true level of Boisson, who was hovering around the 150th place when she sustained a serious knee injury a year ago.
Now that she’s fit, she is firing and has her eyes firmly fixed on the biggest prize.
“For sure, every tennis player dreams of winning a Slam – and for a French player, Roland Garros even more so. I’ll go for it because my dream is to win the final, not the semi-final,” Boisson, who will at least break into the world’s top 70 next week, told a press conference.
The daughter of a former professional basketball player, she has lit up the clay courts in Paris with her gutsy performances and calm demeanour under pressure — a far cry from how she used to be.
“When I started tennis, I was very nervous, very emotional on court,” Boisson, who faces world number two Coco Gauff on Thursday, told reporters. “It was hurting me too much. I realised I wouldn’t go far if I stayed like that. I learned to control it.”
Boisson, who overcame Andreeva in a tense quarter-final, spoke of how her preparation remains constant whether she is facing a top-10 player or a qualifier.
“The preparation is pretty much the same, whether it’s against a number 300 or a top 10,” she said. “We analyse the opponent, then I focus on what I have to do with my gameplan.”
GOOSEBUMPS
Asked about the growing attention on her following her unexpected run, Boisson, who will pocket at least a 690,000 euro ($788,532) cheque for her participation in the semi-finals and can expect almost as much in endorsements and sponsorships, said: “I don’t really think about what’s next. I just try to stay focused on this tournament. I’m enjoying what I receive on court and outside the court – it’s incredible.”
The support from the French crowd has been electric, with chants and La Marseillaise ringing around Court Philippe Chatrier on Wednesday.
“At the warm-up, when they played La Marseillaise, I wasn’t expecting it – it gave me goosebumps,” she said. “Having the public behind me like this, it’s a real boost.”
Boisson said she had learned to embrace the pressure of playing at home – a prospect that has frozen generations of French players at Roland Garros.
“Every player feels pressure, maybe more so for a French player at Roland Garros. But you have to deal with it, otherwise you can’t win any matches,” she said.
“I can deal with it — it’s okay.”
Her form has not improved by chance, she stressed.
“It’s not a miracle. Maybe a little bit of luck, yes, but it’s a lot of hard work too — especially after last year and my rehab.”
Boisson, whose varied game has unsettled opponents throughout the tournament, said her natural style has always been one of variety and flair.
“My game has always been like that, with a lot of variation. The more I train, the more I can fine-tune it. Maybe my forehand ball is a little different from the other girls’.”
($1 = 0.8750 euros)
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Toby Davis)
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