Coco Gauff put an end to the dream race of the local heroine Lois Boisson at the Open of France while the American kept her cool in a fiery atmosphere to win a 6-1, 6-2 victory on Thursday.
Gauff’s victory, which is ranked and ranked second, sets up a successful championship match against Aryna Sabalenka, sown and ranked first on Saturday.
Sabalenka is a major triple champion and obtained a fourth shot by putting an end to the 26 -game IGA Swiattek’s 26 -game games. The 7-6 victory (1), 4-6, 6-0 from Sabalenka in the semi-finals prevented Swiatek from becoming the first woman to win four consecutive championships in Paris in the open era (since 1968).
It will only be the second n ° 1 against the female final No. 2 at the Open of France in the past 30 years and the first at any Grand Slam, because the No. 2 Caroline Wozniacki beat N ° 1 Simona Halep at the 2018 Australian Open.
It is also a revenge match of the US Open 2023 final, in which Gauff defeated Sabalenka to claim his first major trophy at the age of 19.
Gauff was the swindle finalist at Roland Garros in 2022.
Classified 361st in the world and to the Open of France as a joker, Boisson had shot Jessica Pegula, n ° 3 in the world and n ° 6 Mirra Andreeva during the previous rounds, but it looked deflated against Gauff. The 22 -year -old will however pocket a career report 690,000 euros ($ 789,567) as a price.
“Today, it was just too difficult for me,” said drink. “I failed to advance my game, but apart from today’s match, which was not positive, the tournament as a whole was very positive.”
Playing a local favorite in Roland Garros in front of a notoriously ferocious crowd can be a challenge, even for the most experienced players, but Gauff has prepared.
“This is the first time that I have played a French player here. I was mentally prepared that it should be 99% for her, so I was trying to block it,” said Gauff.
Addressing the crowd, she added: “When you said her name, I said to myself my name just for psyche.”
As much as the drink game is capable of clay, Gauff is also rather capable of the slower surface. His speed and reflexes allow him to find a shot after the shot, elongated points and to ensure that the player through the net finds the goods again and again. Thursday, Gauff’s right blow was solid again, her backhand sometimes fascinating, and she served in a coherent way throughout.
Boisson finished with only seven winners. And GAUFF made only 15 uns forked mistakes, less than half of the 33 drink.
When the exchanges increased, Gauff improved. She won 34 of the 51 points that lasted five or more strokes.
Gauff ran an advance of 4-0 under the roof of the Court Philippe-Chatrier and never looked back, will break to love 3-2 in the second set just after Boisson broke its service for the first time.
The American was on a sequence of victories of eight points, and at the end of the end at 5-2, Boisson placed his towel over his head and struck frustration.
“It’s always the plan to start strong,” said Gauff. “I knew it was important today. She is an incredible player. She turned out to be one of the best players in the world, especially on Clay. I’m sure we will have more battles in the future.”
The first Frenchwoman to reach the last four in Roland Garros from Marion Bartoli in 2011, Boisson bowed when she sent another hit.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
