June 05, (THEWILL) – Coco Gauff advanced to her second French Open final with a dominant 6-1 6-2 victory over French wild card Loïs Boisson on Thursday evening at Roland Garros.
The 21-year-old American second seed overcame a hostile crowd of 15,000 supporters on Court Philippe-Chatrier to book a championship match against world number one Aryna Sabalenka.
Gauff required just 70 minutes to dismantle Boisson’s spirited challenge, ending the Frenchwoman’s remarkable tournament run that had captivated Paris.
Boisson entered the semi-final having spent the previous fortnight stunning higher-ranked opponents with her distinctive blend of deep topspin forehands and unexpected power shots.
The 26-year-old, who only broke into the world’s top 100 this week, had previously defeated two top-six players during her breakthrough campaign.
Boisson’s tactical approach of drawing opponents into lengthy baseline exchanges before striking with surprise winners had proved highly effective on the European clay courts.
However, Gauff proved superior at Boisson’s patient, attritional style of play. The Florida-based player matched her opponent shot for shot during extended rallies, utilising her exceptional court coverage to retrieve seemingly impossible balls.
Gauff’s six years of Grand Slam experience became evident when she consistently found opportunities to seize control of points, either forcing errors or capitalising on weaker returns from the French player.
They turned the match into a tactical battle between two accomplished retrievers, with Boisson attempting to replicate the success that had carried her from obscurity to the final four.
Yet, it was Gauff’s superior fitness and movement that eventually told, particularly during the cooler evening conditions in Paris.
The American’s ability to maintain her intensity throughout longer rallies gradually wore down Boisson’s resistance, leading to the comprehensive scoreline.
Gauff will now face Sabalenka in Saturday’s final, seeking her second Grand Slam title following her 2023 US Open triumph as the championship match pits the tournament’s top two seeds against each other.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
