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French women's tennis will have three representatives in the main draw of the WTA 1000 in Toronto, the last major prestigious event before the US Open. On Saturday, Loïs Boisson and Léolia Jeanjean each won their second qualifying match to join Diane Parry, who was admitted directly thanks to her ranking. An overall performance that bodes well for French tennis, which is seeking its bearings before Flushing Meadows.
Boisson expeditious, Jeanjean spectacular comeback
The 22-year-old Frenchwoman swept aside Colombian Emiliana Arango in two sets (6-1, 7-6), securing her first win on hard courts in 2026 along the way.
Loïs Boisson didn't waste time on the Ontario court. The 22-year-old Frenchwoman swept aside Colombian Emiliana Arango in two sets (6-1, 7-6), securing her first win on hard courts in 2026 along the way. A welcome breakthrough for someone who, despite a wildcard in Strasbourg and a presence at Wimbledon, had been struggling to string results together since the start of the season. Boisson, ranked outside the top 200, needed this result to kick-start her momentum ahead of the year's final Grand Slam.
Léolia Jeanjean, for her part, had to dig deep. Facing China's Lin Zhu, ranked 133rd, the 28-year-old from Montpellier lost the first set 6-2 before producing a spectacular turnaround (6-2, 6-3). It took her 2 hours and 16 minutes to overcome a tenacious opponent and secure her spot in the main draw of the Canadian Open for the second consecutive year. Last year, her run ended in the first round against a seed; this time, the world No. 117 hopes to go one step further and win at least one match.
Parry, the only Frenchwoman in the top 100, faces an elite draw
Diane Parry will carry French hopes in a main draw featuring world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff, and Iga Swiatek. The Nice native, ranked 53rd, is the only Frenchwoman in the WTA top 100, a status that highlights both her talent and the current difficulties of French women's tennis in developing a lasting new generation at the highest level. Her hard-court season has been mixed so far: a quarterfinal in Dubai in February, but an early exit in Miami and a second-round loss at Wimbledon to Anna Kalinskaya.
The draw, conducted last Thursday, could give her a tough opening match. With seeds protected in the first round, she will face a player ranked outside the top 16—but in such a dense draw, no round offers any respite. Sabalenka, who skipped Montreal last year, returns to Toronto with the ambition of racking up points before Flushing Meadows. Swiatek, meanwhile, will look to erase her semifinal loss at Wimbledon to a surprising Mirra Andreeva.
Stakes and prospects
The first rounds begin this Monday on the courts of Sobeys Stadium. For Boisson and Jeanjean, every additional win will weigh heavily in the French rankings and provide a valuable confidence boost ahead of US Open qualifying. Behind Parry, French tennis is looking for a new generation capable of establishing itself in the world's top 100. Toronto could well serve as a launching pad.