Lois Boisson pulled off one of the biggest upsets in French Open history as she stunned world No. 3 Jessica Pegula inside a raucous Court Philippe Chatrier. Meanwhile, Madison Keys fought off a late challenge from fellow American Hailey Baptiste to book her spot in the French Open quarterfinals with a 6-3, 7-5 victory at Roland Garros on Monday.
Fellow American and third seed Jessica Pegula failed to join Coco Gauff in the last eight after crashing out to France’s 361st-ranked Lois Boisson in a three-set battle. Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva also defeated Australian 17th seed Daria Kasatkina 6-3, 7-5 to become the youngest player to reach back-to-back French Open quarterfinals in nearly three decades.
Alexander Zverev advanced to the quarterfinals at Roland Garros for the seventh time in eight years on Monday when Tallon Griekspoor was forced to retire during the second set due to an abdominal injury.
BOISSON STUNS PEGULA
World No. 361 Boisson battled from a set down to shock third seed Pegula 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. She became the lowest-ranked player to reach the quarterfinals at Roland Garros in 40 years.
The sight of empty seats was all the more jarring considering the unlikelihood of a Frenchwoman making it to the second week at Roland Garros, with only one featuring in the top 100 of the WTA rankings.
Fewer than 5,000 people filled the stands in the 15,000-capacity arena when wildcard Boisson played the opening points without the vocal support she needed at her home major. However, she played the final set to the sound of “Lois, Lois!” chanted by a raucous audience, and her victory was greeted by a spontaneous rendition of La Marseillaise.
Boisson, who suffered a serious knee injury before last year’s French Open, remained gracious after a two-hour and 40-minute battle.
KEYS DOWNS BAPTISTE
Madison Keys fought off a late challenge from fellow American Hailey Baptiste to book her spot in the French Open quarterfinals with a 6-3, 7-5 victory at Roland Garros on Monday.
The seventh-seeded Keys cruised through the opening set before Baptiste broke for a 3-1 lead in the second, pushing the Australian Open champion to the limit on Court Suzanne Lenglen.
Baptiste eventually cracked, allowing Keys – and friend – to set up a meeting with second seed Coco Gauff in the next round, ensuring an American presence in the semifinals.
“Hailey is such an amazing player, it was such a tough second set. Today I just had to kind of make as many balls as possible,” Keys said.
The 30-year-old could count on the support of new U.S. Billie Jean King Cup captain and former coach Lindsay Davenport plus 2017 U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens, who is sidelined through injury and also watched from the stands.
ZVEREV MARCHES ON
Alexander Zverev secured a place in his seventh French Open quarterfinal on Monday as his last-16 opponent Tallon Griekspoor retired injured in the second set.
The German third seed, who lost to Carlos Alcaraz in last year’s final, was leading 6-4, 3-0 when Dutchman Griekspoor called it quits after just 51 minutes on Court Suzanne Lenglen.
“Unfortunately this morning in the warm-up… I pulled my abdominal muscle which made me not serve fully and not able to compete the way I would like,” said Griekspoor, playing in the fourth round of a major for the first time.
Zverev will face either Novak Djokovic or Britain’s Cameron Norrie in the last eight as he continues his bid for a maiden Grand Slam title. He also reached the final at the Australian Open earlier this year before losing to world number one Jannik Sinner.
MIRRA ANDREEVA YOUNGEST
Mirra Andreeva became the youngest player in nearly 30 years to reach back-to-back French Open quarterfinals after the talented Russian teenager defeated Australian 17th seed Daria Kasatkina 6-3, 7-5 on Monday.
The powerful 18-year-old has stormed through the women’s draw at Roland Garros without dropping a set, and her fourth-round win on a sunlit Court Suzanne Lenglen matched the achievement of Swiss great Martina Hingis, who reached consecutive quarters in 1997 and 1998.
“Honestly, I’m so happy I won. I hate playing against her – we practice a lot, and even that feels like torture,” Andreeva said with a smile during her on-court interview.
“It was a hell of a match. I’m super happy I stayed calm in the second set when she raised her level. I had to fight and keep playing my game.
“I knew if I believed in myself, I would win a third set.”
Andreeva held serve tightly in the seventh game to fend off Kasatkina, then broke in the very next game when Kasatkina sent a backhand long.
Russian-born Kasatkina, who changed her nationality this year, had beaten Andreeva in three sets in last year’s Ningbo final. The 28-year-old showed her fighting spirit again by recovering a break and leading 5-3 in the second set, but Andreeva held firm to close out the match.