Daria Kasatkina was left to comfort a sobbing 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva after beating her in last year’s Ningbo final. Plenty has changed since then. Firstly, Kasatkina is no longer a compatriot, having switched allegiance to Australia this year.
2025 WTA Tour
Grand Slam Tennis
French Open
Stade Roland Garros, Paris, France (Outdoor Clay)
Selected Quarterfinals- 4th June
Mirra Andreeva (6) 0.11 vs Lois Boisson 5.4
More importantly, Andreeva has also evolved into one of the most dynamic players on tour, pairing newfound aggression with her superb defensive skills. Andreeva was better in every aspect in their round of 16 clash, seeing off her hitting partner 6-3, 7-5. Andreeva served well throughout, winning 70% of her first-serve points. She gained traction in the longer rallies, hitting 28 winners to 28 unforced errors in a composed display. The teenager’s profile exploded after those successive WTA 1000 victories in Dubai and Indian Wells. She reached the quarterfinals in Madrid and Rome and has become the youngest back-to-back Roland Garros quarterfinalist since Martina Hingis (1997-1998).
French sporting fans are being treated royally this week. Still high on PSG’s sensational Champions League victory, they now have the sensational exploits of Lois Boisson to savour. The 22-year-old French wildcard just produced one of the biggest shocks in Grand Slam history, coming back from a set down to take down No.3 seed Jessica Pegula. In the process, she became the lowest ranked Grand Slam quarterfinalist since Kaia Kanepi at the 2017 US Open (Boisson is currently ranked 361st in the world and is projected to rise to 120 in the WTA rankings). She was meant to receive a wildcard entry into last year’s event but was laid low by an ACL injury. She only recently returned to competitive action (this is only her 2nd tour-level event). She won an ITF event on the eve of this event but nobody could have foreseen this showing. The Frenchwoman has all the makings of a true clay-court specialist. She has one of the most exciting forehands I have seen in some time, generating more topspin than any other player who contested the round of 16 matches. She has shoulders like Mauresmo but moves with surprising dexterity.
The Verdict: Boisson to win in three at 13- This will be their first career meeting. There is some logic in backing the current World No.361. She will receive borderline psychotic support in this match and that pressure-cooker atmosphere could get to 18-year-old Andreeva (it’s going to feel like an old-school Davis Cup tie). Boisson’s forehand is lethal and will test Andreeva’s defensive skills to the limit.
