HAMBURG/STARNBERG, July 20, 2025
Lois Boisson is not known for wearing her emotions on her sleeve. The 20-year-old Frenchwoman is usually the embodiment of composure. But on Sunday afternoon at the historic Rothenbaum Tennis Complex in Hamburg, that calm exterior finally cracked. With a triumphant scream, a clenched fist to the sky, and waves of gratitude to all four stands, Boisson celebrated the biggest moment of her career to date: her maiden WTA Tour title.
In a gripping final at the MSC Hamburg Ladies Open, Boisson defeated defending champion Anna Bondar 7-5, 6-3 to lift her first major trophy. Along with the title, Boisson earned €31,565 in prize money and a voucher for an Explora cruise. A fitting reward and perhaps a symbolic send-off for what many believe could be a stellar career.
A special Sunday for Boisson in Hamburg #MSCHamburgLadiesOpen pic.twitter.com/T0kq4cxkEF
— wta (@WTA) July 20, 2025
“She’s a player with Top 10 potential,” said tournament ambassador and former World No. 9 Andrea Petkovic. That assessment isn’t unfounded: in just one year, Boisson has surged from No. 361 in the world to a career-high No. 44.
Her victory continues a trend since the tournament’s 2021 revival—each edition has crowned a different champion. But Boisson’s run felt like a true coming-of-age moment. It didn’t begin well, though. Bondar came out strong, racing to a 4-0 lead in just 15 minutes.
“I didn’t feel comfortable at the start. I had to change something,” Boisson admitted afterward. That change came in the form of deeper groundstrokes, added pace, and variety. She clawed back into the set, leveled at 5-5, and eventually took it 7-5.
The momentum carried into the second set. While both players continued to go for their shots in a match full of attacking tennis, Bondar was unable to regain her early dominance. Boisson kept her nerve to seal the match 6-3 and with it, her breakthrough on the WTA Tour.
“Lois is a fantastic player,” Bondar said graciously, tears welling in her eyes after a rollercoaster week. The Hungarian had another shot at a title later in the day—this time in doubles alongside Arantxa Rus. But that, too, slipped away in dramatic fashion. They fell to the Ukrainian-Japanese pair of Nadiia Kichenok and Makoto Ninomiya 4-6, 6-3, [9-11], squandering two match points in the deciding super tiebreak.
Despite the heartbreak, the final day of the MSC Hamburg Ladies Open was a celebration of world-class tennis. “We’ve seen top-level play all week,” said tournament director Sandra Reichel. With over 18,000 fans in attendance throughout the week and global broadcasts reaching nearly 200 countries, the tournament has clearly found its footing on the international stage.
Looking ahead, Reichel revealed plans for further expansion—including the possible addition of a wheelchair tennis tournament with prize money and ranking points as early as next year, pending discussions with the ITF.
Dietloff von Arnim, president of the German Tennis Federation (DTB), praised the direction of the event. “MSC is very pleased with the partnership, and that’s crucial for the tournament’s future,” he said, while also expressing hope that more German players will make deep runs in the years to come. Seven German women competed in this year’s main draw, with another six in qualifying, though none reached the round of 16, largely due to injuries to top players like Eva Lys, Laura Siegemund, and Ella Seidel.
The tournament’s final weekend also featured a nostalgic treat: an exhibition match between 47-year-old hometown hero Tommy Haas and 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem. Haas, once World No. 2, rolled back the years with a 6-2, 6-4 win that left the crowd at Rothenbaum in awe. “I would have loved to have Tommy as a coach a few years ago,” Thiem said after the match. “He’s always been a player I admire.”
As for Boisson, the Hamburg crown propels her into the Top 50 for the first time. With her mix of composure, power, and tactical awareness, she has all the tools to become a mainstay at the top of the women’s game. Where she’ll be by the time she returns to defend her title in 2026 remains to be seen—but the tennis world will certainly be watching.
