Twelve months ago, Lois Boisson wasn’t thinking about tennis. She couldn’t. A torn ACL in her left knee had taken her out of the game for nine long months. The injury happened just before the 2024 French Open, at a smaller tournament in Paris. She didn’t even watch the event on TV. Fast forward one year, and she’s back at Roland Garros, making history.

It all started when the French Tennis Federation gave her a wildcard into the 2025 French Open. It was a reward for her strong return earlier this year. In May, she won the WTA 125 title in Saint-Malo, rising to a career-best ranking of No. 152. She looked ready, sharp, and confident. But no one expected what would come next. Then came the real surprises. Lois Boisson took down World No. 3 Jessica Pegula in a jaw-dropping win. That alone would’ve been enough to turn heads. But she wasn’t done. Next up was 18-year-old Mirra Andreeva, the sixth seed and last year’s semifinalist. The French crowd held its breath.

What happened on Wednesday sent shockwaves through Roland Garros. Lois Boisson battled through the first-set tiebreak and came out swinging in the second. She defeated Andreeva 7-6(6), 6-3, closing the match as Andreeva’s final forehand landed just outside the lines. Cameras zoomed in as Boisson dropped to the clay, overwhelmed with joy. She had become the first Frenchwoman to reach the semifinals at Roland Garros since Marion Bartoli in 2011. But that wasn’t the only milestone.

With this result, Boisson becomes just the third woman since 1980 to reach the semifinals on her Grand Slam debut. The first was Monica Seles. At just 15, Seles made the French Open semis in 1989, beating top players like Zina Garrison and Manuela Maleeva before falling to Steffi Graf. Seles went on to win nine Grand Slam titles, including becoming the youngest French Open champion in 1990. Then came Jennifer Capriati. At 14, she made a dream run to the French Open semifinals in 1990, taking down seeded opponents like Judith Wiesner and Mary Joe Fernandez before losing to Seles. Capriati would later become World No. 1 and win three majors, including the French Open in 2001.

And now, Lois Boisson joins that rare company. At 22, she is also the youngest French semifinalist at any Slam since Amélie Mauresmo made the Wimbledon semis in 1999. Mauresmo, who now serves as the Roland Garros tournament director, was once in Boisson’s shoes. This week, she’s been watching from a new perspective.

Lois Boisson’s incredible run is set to shake up the rankings. From a pre-tournament ranking outside the top 150, she’s now guaranteed to rise to at least No. 68 in the WTA rankings.

So, what’s been the secret behind the 22-year-old’s comeback?

Lois Boisson reveals a unique team detail that helped her win

For one, Lois Boisson is leaving nothing to chance. She revealed a surprising detail after her win over Andreeva. “Well, I’m going to try and recover! Going to see the physios, there are six physios in my box, so I have plenty of choice. I’ll do my routine and I’ll be ready,” she said.

That team-first, body-care mindset might be one of her greatest strengths. After a long injury layoff, Boisson knows how fragile a tennis career can be. Her six-person physio squad is working around the clock to keep her healthy through one of the most demanding tournaments in the world.

Let’s not forget the Frenchwoman turned pro back in 2019 when she was just 16. She spent years grinding on the ITF circuit, playing small tournaments and earning her stripes. In 2021, she got her first taste of the WTA Tour, thanks to a doubles wildcard at the Lyon Open. But it took until 2024 for her Grand Slam dream to finally come true. And now, she’s living it.

From wildcard to giant killer, Lois Boisson’s journey has captured the hearts of fans across France. Each match, she’s played like she has nothing to lose and that may be her biggest weapon. She now faces the biggest challenge of her life, second seed Coco Gauff in the semifinals. Will Boisson’s dream run continue all the way to the final?