The Japan Times - Sensational Boisson lights up French Open, Sinner reaches semi-finals

World number one Sinner romped to a comprehensive 6-1, 7-5, 6-0 win over unseeded Kazakh Alexander Bublik.

Boisson, making her debut at a Grand Slam event, powered her way to a thrilling 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 victory on a raucous Court Philippe Chatrier to become the first Frenchwoman to reach the semis since Marion Bartoli in 2011.

The 22-year-old, who was due to play at last year's French Open but suffered a knee injury the week before the tournament, is the lowest-ranked woman to reach a major semi-final in 40 years.

"It was incredible to play in front of this crowd and feel support like that," said Boisson, after hitting 24 winners past Russian sixth seed Andreeva to follow up her fourth-round win over world number three Jessica Pegula with an even more surprising victory.

A dramatic first set saw Andreeva miss a set point after leading 5-3, before Boisson fought back only to see three chances of her own come and go in a marathon 12th game.

But the wildcard fought off another set point in the tie-break, before taking her next opportunity, cupping her ear towards the adoring crowd in celebration.

Andreeva gathered herself and quickly built a 3-0 lead in the second set, only to be left jumping up and down in anger after a missed backhand gave Boisson a much-needed hold of serve.

The 18-year-old Andreeva started to crumble under the pressure, being given a warning for slamming a ball into the top tier of the stands as the atmosphere heated up under the Chatrier roof.

She was roundly booed when she then argued with the umpire over a line call, and was broken later that game after another double-fault to suddenly trail 4-3.

Boisson made it six consecutive games to secure a seismic victory as Andreeva, one of the pre-tournament favourites, completely unravelled.

Second seed Gauff battled back from a set down to defeat fellow American, and Australian Open champion, Madison Keys in an error-strewn opening match 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, 6-1.

The former US Open champion upped her level enough after dropping the first set to get through a quarter-final littered with 14 double-faults and a whopping 101 unforced errors.

"It means a lot, especially getting through this tough match today, it wasn't an easy match and I'm very happy to get through it," she said.

Gauff, the 2022 losing finalist, will be hoping to go at least one better than when she lost to Iga Swiatek in last year's semi-final.

Swiatek continues her bid for a fourth consecutive Roland Garros title in a blockbuster match with world number one Aryna Sabalenka in Thursday's other semi-final.

- Sinner marches on -

Sinner, who only returned from a three-month doping ban last month at the Italian Open, booked his place in a second straight Roland Garros semi-final by swatting aside 62nd-ranked Bublik.

The top seed is bidding for a third successive Grand Slam title after following his 2024 US Open triumph by successfully defending his Australian Open crown in January.

Sinner was far too strong for Bublik, playing in his first major quarter-final, hammering 31 winners in a dominant display and is yet to drop a set in the tournament.

"I'm very happy with how I've arrived in the semi-finals, semi-finals in Grand Slams are very special, I'm looking forward to it," said the 23-year-old, who lost to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz in last year's semis.

The Italian is just one win from reaching his first Slam final not on hard courts.

Bublik, who enjoyed the "best moment of his life" by defeating Jack Draper in the last 16, has now lost four of his five career meetings with Sinner.

- Zverev eyeing Djokovic scalp -

Djokovic will compete in a record 19th French Open quarter-final against last year's runner-up Zverev in the night-session match.

German third seed Zverev, who lost to Alcaraz in the final 12 months ago, continues his latest bid for a maiden Grand Slam title after three runner-up finishes.

The 28-year-old has won five of his 13 career matches with Djokovic, including at the Australian Open when the Serb retired injured from their semi-final.

Djokovic, a three-time champion at Roland Garros, is just the second player to record 100 wins at the event after 14-time winner Rafael Nadal (112).

The 38-year-old is chasing a record 25th major title.

M.Matsumoto--JT