- Boisson is the first female wildcard to reach the French Open semi-finals in the Open era
- Gauff has made it to the last four in Paris for the third time in four years
- Recommended bet: Coco Gauff to win with a -5.5 game handicap

Lois Boisson has enjoyed a fairy-tale run to the semi-finals of the French Open but she will face her sternest test to date when she takes on second seed Coco Gauff in the semi-finals on Thursday.

World number 361 Boisson has defied the odds to reach the last four on what is her first appearance in the main draw of a Grand Slam singles event, seeing off three seeded players on her way through, including two of the world's top six in Jessica Pegula and Mirra Andreeva.

Her straight-sets quarter-final success over Andreeva means she is the first wildcard to reach the women's singles semi-finals at the French Open in the Open era, as well as the first French semi-finalist since Marion Bartoli 14 years ago.

Boisson will have the vast majority of Court Philippe-Chatrier behind her on Thursday, but second-seed Gauff should not be overawed as she bids to reach her second French Open final.

Gauff was made to work hard for her place in the semis, coming from a set down to beat fellow American and reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys in the last eight, but she will start this match as heavy favourite to secure a place in Saturday's final.

The stats

This is Boisson's first-ever appearance in the main draw of a Grand Slam singles event. She had been handed a wildcard into last year's French Open but had to withdraw after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

The 22-year-old is currently ranked 361st in the world and has never been higher than 152nd, although that will change following her run in Paris.

As well as world number three Pegula and sixth seed Andreeva, Boisson has also knocked out 24th seed Elise Mertens en route to the semi-finals.

Gauff is through to her fifth Grand Slam semi-final and third at Roland Garros. She beat Martina Trevisan in the 2022 semis in Paris before losing in the final to Iga Swiatek, while the Pole also got the better of her in the last four 12 months ago.

The American does have a Grand Slam title on her CV, triumphing in the 2023 US Open final.

The 21-year-old has only dropped one set on her way through to the last four — the opener in her eventual quarter-final victory over Keys.

This will be the first time these two players have ever faced off on the WTA Tour.

Prediction

Romantics will hope Boisson's fairy-tale run at Roland Garros can continue and there is a precedent for the unthinkable happening — who can forget Emma Raducanu's dream success at the 2021 US Open as a qualifier — but it really is hard to see the wildcard getting the better of the imperious Gauff.

The American has become one of the best players in the world on clay, highlighted by this being the third time in four years she has reached the semi-finals in Paris.

Her runs to the final of the Madrid and Italian Opens in the build up to this tournament also underlined her prowess on the surface and after barely needing to break sweat in her opening four matches at Roland Garros this year, she then showed her ability to dig deep against Keys.

Gauff should ultimately prove too strong for Boisson and can win this semi with something to spare, setting up a mouth-watering final against either Aryna Sabalenka or her clay-court adversary Swiatek in the process.

Back Coco Gauff to win with a -5.5 game handicap at 27/25 with LiveScore Bet