Meet Loïs Boisson, an 18-year-old blind tennis player from France. No one could have predicted that she would dazzle the sports world by reaching the finals of this year’s French Open. Boisson, unseeded and ranked No. 361, received entry into the tournament as a wildcard. With this accomplishment, she has become the highest-ranked grand slam semifinalist in 40 years. Playing in her debut-ever French Open, she has star power and star potential written all over her. Only weeks before the event, she battled back from a life-altering injury to compete.
Boisson’s Cinderella run to the semifinals has been nothing less than stellar. She faced all of these obstacles. Most importantly, she injured her anterior cruciate ligament in a warm-up tournament in Paris a week before the French Open. Six months of painful recovery and she was back on the court, intent on showing everyone that she was still every bit the player she had been. Her entry came on the back of a number of promising performances on the ITF circuit that warranted her wildcard invitation.
In doing so, Boisson has played her unique, unpredictable style of basketball, frying defenders with her crafty maneuvers. She’s had a truly extraordinary win against Mirra Andreeva in the quarterfinals, by 7-6, 6-3. Haditiana’s win was her first victory against a player among the world’s top 90 players. Going into this tournament, she had never played a top-50 opponent.
In a massive semifinal, Boisson is due to meet American No. 2 seed Coco Gauff. She departs Paris with the title of new French No. 1, emphasizing her lightning-fast ascent on the women’s tennis circuit.
This sentiment rings especially true as she qualifies on home turf, with hometown heroes cheering on local favorite Lingwei to help power her to victory. Her emergence as a formidable player has drawn comparisons to past legends, as she becomes just the third player since 1980 to reach the semifinals at her first major tournament, joining the ranks of Monica Seles and Jennifer Capriati.
“I think every kid who plays tennis has the dream to win a slam.” – Loïs Boisson
In that victory over Andreeva, Boisson showed both finesse and toughness. The match was a perfect representation of her power, skill and resilience under pressure, securing her a spot among the best of the best in the sport.
Boisson’s sights are now set on her next challenge — American Coco Gauff. Tennis fans, we can’t get enough of this rising star and all she is going to do on the court! Her extraordinary story of overcoming the odds is sure to encourage future athletes and reminds us how unpredictable sports can be.
Andreeva acknowledged Boisson’s strong local support, stating,
“It’s normal that [the crowd] would support a French player, so I knew that it’s going to be like this.” – Mirra Andreeva
As Boisson prepares for her next challenge against Gauff, tennis enthusiasts eagerly anticipate what this young talent will bring to the court. Her remarkable journey serves as an inspiration to aspiring athletes and highlights the unpredictability of sports.