Coco Gauff Says She Won’t Let French Open Crowd Affect Her During Semifinal Clash with Lois Boisson

World No.2 Coco Gauff will be locking horns with Frenchwoman Lois Boisson for the first time in her career.

Coco Gauff Says She Won’t Let French Open Crowd Affect Her During Semifinal Clash with Lois Boisson

Lois Boisson, Coco Gauff (Image via X/We Are Tennis, Coco Gauff)

A French player will be playing a semifinal so Coco Gauff, for sure, will not have fans’ support on Court Philippe-Chatrier when she will be locking horns with Lois Boisson on Thursday (May 5). Gauff has no qualms about it as she thinks it’s normal for the home crowd to cheer for their compatriot.

Gauff booked her spot in the semifinal at the Roland Garros for the third time in her career. She came from a set down to eliminate reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys 6-7(6), 6-4, 6-1 in the quarterfinals. It was the first time she dropped a set in the tournament. She, also in the fourth round, handed a bagel to Ekaterina Alexandrova in the first set.

Boisson, on the other hand, knocked out three-seeded players before reaching the semifinals. In the fourth round, the Frenchwoman came from a set down to knock out last year’s US Open runner-up Jessica Pegula; while in the quarterfinals, she beat Mirra Andreeva with a scoreline of 7-6(6), 6-3.

In the press conference after her win, Gauff was asked about the French crowd. She stated that had she been in their place, she also would have cheered for the home player.

There’s two ways I’ve done it in the past. Either a, Pretend they’re cheering for you…or b, just using it and not letting that get to you. I’ve been in crowds where they’re 99% for me. So I don’t have an issue with it. I hope everyone will be respectful. If not, it’s cool. It makes sports exciting. I can’t get irritated that someone is rooting for their hometown hero, because I would do the same.

Gauff, after tying the head-to-head record with Keys to 3-3, will be playing her fifth semifinal of a Grand Slam tournament. She is searching for her second Major title following the 2023 US Open. In Paris, she was a finalist in the 2022 season, losing the match to three-time defending champion Iga Swiatek, who she could face again if she beats Boisson and the Pole goes past World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka.

Andrea Petkovic recalls practicing with Coco Gauff

Coco Gauff hogged the limelight for the first time when she defeated seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams in the first round of 2019 Wimbledon. She reached the fourth round where eventual champion Simona Halep knocked her out. A year before that, she practiced with former player Andrea Petkovic, who now recalled that moment during Gauff’s match against Madison Keys.

Coco Gauff 1
Coco Gauff (Image via X/The Tennis Podcast)

I practiced with her when she was 14 in Miami. I realized this was not just any 14-year-old. This was a potential future star. A year later, she got to the Wimbledon fourth round. The athleticism was from a different planet, she was so focused, so locked in.

Andrea Petkovic said on BBC Radio 5 Live

Gauff, who has so far won 25 matches at the French Open, is bidding to win her first title of the season as she hasn’t yet won a trophy since the 2024 WTA Finals. Lois Boisson has clinched one WTA 125K and six ITF titles in her career.

The French Open is Boisson’s third tournament of the season following the Open de Rouen and a WTA 125K event in Saint-Malo. Before the clay-court Major this season, Boisson never made a main draw appearance in the other three Grand Slam tournaments and hasn’t yet played in the qualifying rounds in these three Majors.

The 21-year-old is aiming to reach three back-to-back finals on clay. Before arriving in Paris, Gauff was defeated in the Italian Open and Madrid Open finals by Jasmine Paolini and Aryna Sabalenka, respectively.

Also read: Toni Nadal Weighs in on Why He Won’t Coach Carlos Alcaraz in the Future