Coco Gauff sends clear message to Lois Boisson ahead of Roland Garros semifinal clash

WTA World No. 2 Coco Gauff advanced to the French Open semifinals after a hard-fought three-set victory over Madison Keys. The American now prepares to face tournament sensation Lois Boisson, who, ranked No. 361, has reached the Roland Garros semifinals in her debut at the event.

Gauff overcame Keys in three sets, 6-7(8), 6-3, 6-3, rallying from a set down and a 4-3 position in the second set, to secure her place in the semifinals. There, she’ll face local favorite Boisson, who stunned Mirra Andreeva 7-6(8), 6-3, backed by the support of the French crowd.

Despite the local favorite’s momentum, Gauff made it clear in her post-match press conference that she’s unfazed by the prospect of playing against a partisan French crowd.

“I have played Jasmine [Paolini] in Rome, I’ve played Jasmine and Sara [Errani] in Rome, I’ve played Caroline [Garcia] and Kristina [Mladenovic] here,” Gauff said. “So I have some experience playing, like, against a crowd that maybe is not rooting for you. It’s something I’m looking forward to if it were to happen”.

Gauff, who recently matched Martina Hingis’ record at Roland Garros, emphasized that she thrives in high-pressure environments, regardless of whether the crowd is with her or against her.

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“There are two ways I have done it in the past: either just pretending they’re cheering for you or just using it and not letting that get to you,” she said. “I have been in crowds where they are 99 percent for me, so I don’t have an issue with it. You know, I hope everyone will be respectful. If not, it’s cool”.

Gauff draws inspiration from Carlos Alcaraz

The American mentioned that she is attempting to adopt the philosophy of Carlos Alcaraz, who focuses on enjoying every moment on the court, a mindset that Gauff aspires to embrace.

“Following Carlos’s documentary, which I haven’t seen but have heard a lot about, I am trying to step out of my tennis bubble a bit and enjoy life,” Gauff shared. “I have even confessed to Carlos that I want to try to have fun on the court and smile as much as he does“.

“In general, I want to enjoy life a little more,” she continued. “I think he has a great philosophy, and that’s something I try to take as inspiration. I don’t think I could ever smile as much on the court as he does”.