Coco Gauff traveled five times in a row in the French Open Quarter Finals on Monday, with French player Royce Boisson, the last of the singles’ singles player, disrupting third seed Jessica Pegra 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.
“The whole game I played well. She stepped up her game in the second set. Overall, I thought it was great,” Gov said after brushing Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-0, 7-5 aside. “I move well on the clay and I’m really comfortable sliding and moving the surface. The most physical surfaces certainly do well in that department.”
Pegra won the first set in about 30 minutes, but the 22-year-old Boisson won second, winning the delight of the crowd of Philip Chatelier after breaking early in the decider.
Boisson became the first Frenchman since 2017 to reach the quarterfinals of Roland Garros, but that didn’t motivate fans who were late. At the first point, under 5,000 people filled a stand with a capacity of 15,000 people.
However, Boisson played the final set to the sound of “Lois, Lois!” Sung by a loud audience, her victory was greeted by the spontaneous production of the French national anthem, La Marsailers.
Boisson, who suffered a serious knee injury before the French opening last year, was elegant after winning a two-hour, 40-minute fight.
“I don’t know what to say, but thank you. It was incredible to play at this courthouse in such a great atmosphere,” Boisson adds at least $500,000 to his career, which totals a $21,000 prize. “I knew I could do that, but she knew she was very strong, but after a while I realized it was a proper contest.”
Boishon’s massive forehand proved difficult for Pegula to handle, and momentum changed as French women forced the decision set. She was crucially broken at 5-4, but the nerves were creeping up, but a stone-faced boisson was offered to become the first French wildcard since Mary Pierce in 2002 to reach Roland Garros’ final eight.
Boisson is the lowest woman making the quarterfinals of the Grand Slam, as she reached the 2017 US Open, where Kaia Kanepi ranked 418th. Boisson is also the first woman to make her first Grand Slam main draw quarterfinals since Carla Suarez Navarro qualified for the final eight in Paris in 2008.
“Being in the quarter is already a huge achievement,” Boisson said at a post-game press conference. “My rankings open the door to a bigger tournament, and that’s what will change my life.”
Australia’s open winner Madison Keys sowed seventh, easing American-American Highly Baptist 6-3, 7-5 in the past, setting the national quarter-final against Gouf.
Mira Andreva, Roland Garros semi-finalist last year, will face Boisson after the Russian teenager overcomes Australia’s 17th seed Dahlia Casatokina 6-3, 7-5. Andreeva is the youngest player to reach the French Open Quarter Finals in nearly 30 years in a row.
Gauff, 21, started off in the match quickly, taking three consecutive breaks with a 5-0 lead in 15 minutes, running his opponents. Gauff, who won four of his five meetings, scored five breakpoints in the next game, but secured the first bagel of the tournament.
She wasn’t very dominant in the second set, and Alexandrova raised stronger resistance. The Russians broke and went up 5-4, and the Gov rattled temporarily, double folded, and held the level.
Gouf stayed calm, smashed Alexandrova and concluded the match with her serve.
Gouf, who won the 2023 US Open and ranging from Paris in 2022, said he still catches Flak because he forgot to make the racket into a match early in the tournament. She has been engaged in a bit of a deadlock with another American and Roland Garros quarterfinalist Francis Tearfoe over equipment failures.
Tiafoe calls Gauff “Mrs. Muty.” Goff’s retort: ”Maybe you’re just playing tennis, that forces you to grow faster for some people. Maybe not him.”
The first person to make a very wrong in March was Tear Four, who played in a match with the Indian Wells without his racket. He has gotten a lot of ribs from other players, including social media and Gauff.
So, 27-year-old Tiafoe was too happy to call her when Gauff went to court to Philippe-Chatrier for her first round match last week, opened her bag and realized there was no racket inside.
“She waved her entire bag like an empty Chattoria cookie jar. “What are you doing?” “…I’m going to keep tearing her apart for a long time. I’ve never seen anyone in the world (ranked 2nd).
“That’s so big, we’re all just human beings. Whether it’s a team or her, people make mistakes. It was an interesting moment.
Goff admitted that she can’t really offer many comebacks.
“I literally told him: ‘From you, I was expecting it. It’s okay, but the fact that it happened to me…” she said. “Because I’m a professional person and usually I feel like someone – if someone knows me, I’m the one who can quickly find a comeback. Even if I’m wrong, I’m still one of those people who protect myself.
“But it just had to take it. I learned that I had nothing to say, especially since I gave him a lot (hassle) for it, and even six months later, I did the same on a bigger stage. But I learned my lesson.
As for his barb about “Mrs. Mature,” it stems from the way Goff goes in and out of the court after breaking through at Wimbledon at the age of 15 and collecting his first Grand Slam title at the age of 19 – she said she’s been listening to that type of comment.
“I definitely feel like I’m more mature at times, especially when I was a junior, than some of my peers. I don’t know why. I feel like I’ve always been,” Gauff said. “When I was in school, I’d always be the first person in my class. I remember once I got the yellow for the behavior chart. It was like the worst day of my life. I’m proud to be a good example.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to the report.
