From our special correspondent,
Varvara Gracheva perhaps did not lose everything on Monday at Roland Garros. Certainly, sportingly, she was taken out by a superior Mirra Andreeva at the age of 17, but she was able to dispel a misunderstanding before leaving, that of her naturalization, which many imagined tinged with opportunism linked to Russian invasion in Ukraine. “My coach, Jean-René Lisnard, offered it to me when I turned 18 and I said yes,” she recalled in the post-match conference, a story that we had already told previously. I made this decision and I have no regrets, obviously. But the process took so long. The decision was made well in advance. »
This Roland-Garros will have mainly served this purpose: to get to know Varvara, French for a year, and in distress since then. An old habit for this player lacking consistency, as Gérard Solvès, one of her former coaches, explained. “But every time she is in danger in terms of rankings, and she has points to defend, she starts playing very well. »
Olympic qualification and the love of Lenglen
The proof in Paris, therefore. 88th in the world before the start of the fortnight, not only did she manage to keep her points from last year but she also gained points to the point of gaining 18 places. Next Monday, it should settle around 70th in the world. Far from the 39th place reached on January 8, but close enough to hold the Paris Olympics this summer. “It’s a great opportunity for me, for my career. I would be so happy. I’m going to try to do my best to be prepared for that for the Olympics. »
In the meantime, she does her best to speak French in front of the public and the press. “She speaks fluently now, despite a few syntax errors,” described player consultant Marine Partaud perfectly. An effort which earned her the sympathy of an audience that she had tamed, notably that of Suzanne Lenglen, where she enjoyed playing. She sang the Marseillaise with the audience and got her bearings for next year. Next step, the Chatrier next year?