Who Is Lois Boisson, the World No. 361 Who Just Shocked Roland Garros?

France’s Lois Boisson has emerged as the breakout star of the 2025 French Open, defeating world No. 3 Jessica Pegula to advance to the quarterfinals of Roland Garros. Ranked 361st globally and entering the tournament as a wildcard, the 22-year-old defied expectations by coming from a set down to clinch a dramatic victory on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

Boisson’s win marks a series of historic firsts: she becomes the lowest-ranked player to reach the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam since Kaia Kanepi, ranked 418, achieved the feat at the 2017 US Open. Additionally, she is the first woman to reach the quarterfinals on her Grand Slam main draw debut since Carla Suárez Navarro in 2008 – a feat made even more remarkable by the fact that Boisson is the last French singles player remaining in either the men’s or women’s draw.

Boisson’s meteoric rise is particularly poignant given the adversity she faced just a year ago. After winning her first WTA 125 title in Saint-Malo and enjoying an 18-match winning streak on the ITF circuit, Boisson was poised for a dream debut at Roland Garros in 2024. However, a devastating ACL injury just a week before the tournament sidelined her for nine months.

Reflecting on her setback in a heartfelt Instagram post, Boisson wrote: “In the space of a week I went from the joy of winning my first WTA title to collapsing on the ground in pain. The shock was violent… but now it’s time for discipline to get back to the top.”

Since returning to competition in February 2025, Boisson has been on a mission. She claimed her first career win against a top-25 player, Elise Mertens, and now has added a top-five victory with her upset over Pegula—both in her first attempts. Combined, those two opponents boast 17 WTA singles titles.

Boisson, who made her WTA Tour debut in 2021, now faces another challenge in the quarterfinals: teenage sensation and world No. 6 Mirra Andreeva.