France, June 5 -- Champagne stuff from Lois Boisson who entered the annals with a win over rising star Mirra Andreeva to become the first Frenchwoman to reach the semi-finals of the singles at the French Open for 14 years. Second seed Coco Gauff awaits her in the last four.

Mirra, Mirra, off the wall

Mirra Andreeva was completely unhinged during her quarter-final against local heroine Lois Boisson. A lusty rendition of the French national anthem rang out across the centre court as the players warmed up to suggest this was not going to be an afternoon of non-alignment. And so it proved. Cheering erupted whenever the Russian lost a point. There was roaring approbation for Boisson's best shots. As for the cacophony when Andreeva was given ...