By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Monday March 27, 2023
Fans of women’s tennis have been noticing the name Varvara Gracheva on their draw sheets more than usual in 2023. The Russian has been playing solid tennis, and has reached the round of 16 at Indian Wells and Miami, where she’ll face Petra Kvitova today.
Another reason that we’re seeing Gracheva’s name? She’s reportedly applied for French citizenship.
Acording to French journalist Quentin Moynet, Gracheva has lived and trained in the South of France since 2016, where she has trained alongside former World No.1 Daniil Medvedev at times.
Gracheva, 22, is currently 54 in the rankings and will make her Top 50 debut next week, at a projected ranking of 44.
Switching citizenship will make life easier for Gracheva, with Wimbledon’s decision on Russian’s looming, and the potential that the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris might also ban Russians from competing.