Boisson v Gauff live: French Open semi-final score and updates

“it’s always the plan to try to start strong. Lois is an incredible player and she’s proved she is one of the best players in the world, especially on clay. I’m sure we’ll have many more battles in the future, hopefully here. I know the crowd wanted her to win, but congratulations to her for an incredible tournament. Today just happened to be my day.

“This is my time playing a French player here during this tournament that I can remember. I was mentally prepared before the match that it was going to be 99 per cent for her, but I just tried to block it out. When the crowd was chanting her name, I was saying my name to myself! Just to psych myself out. You have to do that. It’s an incredible atmosphere to play in front of.

“The last final will help me. I was super nervous going into that final. There is still a lot more work to do, but I’m going to enjoy this one and tomorrow start the preparation for the final.”

Ruthless. Relentless. Routine. An exhibition of clean and cutting tennis from Coco Gauff, off to the French Open final for a second time to take on Aryna Sabalenka.

The dream dies for Lois Boisson – but what fun it has been. This surely will be just the start of her journey, though there were too many errors today to ever have a hope.

A mighty noise as Philippe-Chatrier salutes Lois Boisson, taking the balls perhaps for the final time after this remarkable run. Can she conjure something? A delightful drop shot suggests maybe…

The end of the fairytale is nigh. Coco Gauff’s stride to the chair is purposeful – and she looks to be marching right into a final with Aryna Sabalenka, which could be a corker.

Would you believe it? A mishit from Coco Gauff on her backhand looks bound for the clay in the tramlines but seems to stall suddenly, falling on the line. Three break points…one needed. Ruthless from the American, who really has played well here, never allowing Boisson or the crowd into it.

That’s the sort of moment that Lois Boisson needed to seize in this match. At 0-30 in Coco Gauff’s service game, space appears as Boisson sets her sights on a backhand down the line – but it’s a yard-or-so wide.

Here’s a shot, though, a break point eventually earned. And taken! You wouldn’t know it from a flat look on her face but that’s a huge moment for Lois Boisson, breaking back immediately.

Lois Boisson digs herself out of danger from 0-30 after her 23rd unforced error, first a flurry of forehands and then a thunderous serve up the ‘T’ squaring affairs.

That’s good from Coco Gauff, though, nifty feet to get to a drop shot and then a spot of deception, opening the wrist to slice down the line as Boisson scurries across court. A looping backhand lands long – break secure.

What a point! A quite remarkable back and forth, both players contriving to lose it before finding their way back into the exchange. Boisson is convinced a Gauff shot is out but there’s a sliver of line caught, seemingly, and the American delivers some overhead punishment to finally take it after the Frenchwoman’s flow had been slowed. Although Hawkeye says that shot was out – poor fortune for Boisson.

The great judoka Teddy Riner, hero of Paris 2024 last year, is among the French faithful roaring on as Lois Boisson earns a break point, and then among those covering their eyes as she flaps a faulty forehand into the floor just in front of the net. Haphazard.

On serve we remain in the second.

Much more like it. A hold to love, secured with a helping hand from the back of the line as Coco Gauff is bamboozled by a bad bounce off the chalk.

A sliced backhand three-quarters of the way up into the net is an inauspicious end to the opening game of the second set, and Lois Boisson rather trudges away as Coco Gauff’s hold is sealed. She needs something, anything, to latch on to.