Virtual reality gives Boisson the edge

Following a WTA 125 title on home soil at seaside St Malo in April last year, Boisson tore the ACL in her left knee a week out from her Grand Slam debut in Paris.

Almost a year later, following months of intense rehabilitation, she was back.

Boisson is fully cognisant that at this level, the one-percenters often make the difference so when her fitness coach Sebastien Durand introduced her to science-backed neurovisual training to improve her performance she was quickly on board.

“It's very difficult to explain, but it's both visual and you just do some exercises differently,” Boisson said. “You connect the brain with the eyes, and then everything goes faster, you know, so it's really great for tennis.

“It was after my surgery. We did that (and) I came back faster.”

The neurovisual training included sight tests, catching a ball at short range with one eye obstructed, buzzer reaction tests, even using virtual reality headsets.

“At the highest level, it’s all about small details,” Boisson said in an interview with Durand. “The more we optimise, the better our chances of success. The goal is to make everything as fast as possible. Doing these exercises has greatly improved my reactivity and it now comes naturally.”

Durand, who also works with Grigor Dimitrov, came up with the drills in conjunction with orthoptist Angela Ragaigne.

“Until the eye and visual care are healthy it’s hard to build performance,” he posted. “Knowing that 80 per cent of the information taken from the athlete's environment comes from their vision, we have developed a process, a method and specific exercises, designing a tailor-made neurovisual treatment specifically adapted to the athlete’s needs, background and sport.”

On Monday, Boisson will contest her maiden Grand Slam fourth round against third seed Jessica Pegula, a remarkable run already considering she had played just two events since her return with a sole win against Harriet Dart last month in Rouen.

Roland-Garros honoured her wild card from 2024 and the now world No.361 has more than repaid the faith this week.

Her first two wins at a major came over Belgian 24th seed Elise Mertens and Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina – both matches in which she had the crowd heavily in her favour.

The freedom to play without pressure allowed her to swing freely – her heavy, dipping topspin groundstrokes are ideally suited to this surface.

On Saturday, it was a far more nerve-racking affair when she squared off against fellow French wild card, former junior champion Elsa Jacquemot.

The same age, Boisson and Jacquemot were occasional practice partners in Lyon and the realisation of a golden opportunity to break new territory was never far from mind for either.

“It was truly incredible, the ambiance. I am truly super happy to get out of that one,” Boisson said after she eked out the 6-3, 0-6, 7-5 result. “It didn’t seem possible, it was truly not easy, it was very complicated from my side. To get out of it and to reach the second week, it’s incredible.

“At the end, to have two French players in the third round is super cool for French tennis It’s hard to play someone you know well, but at the end we made a great match, and we know each other’s level of game.”

The lowest-ranked player through to second week in Paris since a then 451st-ranked Serena Williams on the comeback in 2018, Boisson has surpassed even her own expectations on debut.

No stone has been left unturned.