The Roland-Garros ticketing affair is experiencing a spectacular rebound. On June 14, after three months of analysis, the National Financial Prosecutor’s Office (PNF) decided to dismiss “for lack of infringement” a criminal complaint filed against X by elected officials of the French Tennis Federation (FFT) for suspicion of ” corruption “ and of “embezzlement of public property” in connection with the Parisian Grand Slam ticket office.

Said complaint was filed on March 16 by seven leaders and former executives of the FFT, including Alain Moreau (current president of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine league) and Pascal Da Costa (member of the Superior Council of Tennis). The complainants accused the president of the body, Gilles Moretton, elected on February 13, 2021, and two of his relatives, Hughes Cavallin, his former chief of staff, and Jean-Luc Barrière, treasurer general of the FFT, of“having organized the diversion of Roland-Garros tournament tickets to the detriment of the FFT”. And to be exempt from “consequences of their misdeeds” since their accession to the orders of the federation, “by means of new abuses of their functions”.

However, according to our information, the public prosecutor’s office of the Paris Court of Appeal decided, on July 24, after having re-examined the file, to “give instructions to the PNF with a view to opening a preliminary investigation”.

“Mistakes made by the PNF”

This unprecedented decision comes after a request filed with the general prosecutor’s office on June 30 by Jean-Pierre Versini-Campinchi, the plaintiffs’ lawyer, under article 40-3 of the code of criminal procedure. In his request, Mr.^e Versini-Campinchi contested the classification without follow-up and denounced the “factual and material errors committed by the PNF having led him to an improper analysis of the facts denounced”.

Solicited by The world, the PNF confirms having received these instructions from the public prosecutor’s office. He indicates that he will “carry out a re-examination of the classification decision and additional investigations”. “Depending on this assessment work and any new elements, the PNF will decide whether a preliminary investigation should be opened or not”adds the National Financial Prosecutor’s Office.

Read also: Article reserved for our subscribers Roland-Garros ticket office: the noose is tightening around the French Tennis Federation

The complainants had also noted alleged acts of embezzlement of public property, in 2019, by the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes league, chaired from 2018 to 2021 by Mr. Moretton. In question: the sale, within the framework of a partnership, of eighty places to the interim company Adequat, which then had them marketed as “VIP Gold” tickets. Allegations swept away by the entourage of Mr. Moretton.

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Under the watchful eye of Prince William, on Sunday July 16 on Center Court at Wimbledon, a new tennis master made himself king, in five sets. After a failed start to the match, world number one Carlos Alcaraz overcame his runner-up in the ATP rankings and most successful Grand Slam player (23), Novak Djokovic (1-6, 7-6 [8-6]6-1, 3-6, 6-4).

Manhandled from the start, as during his defeat in June against the Serb in the semi-finals of the French Open, the Spaniard then showed impressive solidity. Better prepared this time, the native of El Palmar has gradually mastered his opponent, and his nerves. While remaining true to himself on the court, generous in effort, able to gain points in finesse, as in power.

Read also: Wimbledon: Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz have an appointment in the final

“Carlitos” thus completes his rise to power on grass, he the earthling, winner a month earlier of the ATP 500 at Queen’s, prologue tournament at Wimbledon. At 20, the Murcian now signs his second Grand Slam victory, after his success in 2022 at the US Open.

A quick adaptation

Dominating on clay since the start of the season, Alcaraz surprised his world in Great Britain, on grass, during a tournament in which he had never reached the knockout stages. Having dropped only two sets before the final, the Spaniard easily got rid of world number six, Holger Rune (7-6 [7-3]6-4, 6-4), in the quarters, before inflicting, in the semi-final, the same sentence on number three, Daniil Medvedev (6-3, 6-3, 6-3).

Read also: Article reserved for our subscribers Roland-Garros 2023: Novak Djokovic, hero alone against all, and now alone in the world

Full of confidence when he entered Center Court on Sunday, Alcaraz first suffered everything he praised earlier, from his opponent: “He has no weakness (…), he is a complete player, who does nothing wrong on the court. Physically, he’s a monster. Mentally, he’s a monster. »

Dried in the first set (6-1) in just 34 minutes of play, the Spaniard with disheveled hair then made his pride speak. A sufficient turnaround to pocket the next two innings. First after a suffocating tie-break (7-6 [8-6]), exercise yet acclaimed by the Serb, who had won his last thirteen decisive games.

In the third set, the Spaniard inflicted on the Serb the lesson he himself had received in the first (6-1). With the difference that the two men fought for almost half an hour in the fifth game, during a succession of advantages and equalities.

In the fourth round, “Nole” regained breath and was sharper than the Spaniard (3-6). The two men then embarked on an electric fifth set where Alcaraz quickly broke Djovokic. The world number one then did not give an inch of ground to the Serb. A single match point was enough for him to conclude the game. Overjoyed, Alcaraz collapsed on Center Court once their success was achieved.

Czech player Marketa Vondrousova won the Wimbledon tennis tournament in London on Saturday July 15 by winning the final of the competition (6-4, 6-4) against her Tunisian opponent Ons Jabeur. Marketa Vondrousova, ranked 42^e world, becomes the first unseeded player to win this Grand Slam tournament. Ons Jabeur, still in search of a Grand Slam title, lost its third major final, after those of Wimbledon and the US Open last year.

Marketa Vondrousova, 24, had reached the French Open final in 2019 but had won just two matches on grass in her career arriving at Wimbledon this year. With this victory, she will reach the best place of her career in the ranking on Monday: 10^e. Until then, his best ranking was at 16^e place, reached in 2019.

She was the first non-seeded Wimbledon finalist of the Open era (since 1968) and first since Billie Jean King in 1963. While playing her 21^e Grand Slam tournament, Marketa Vondrousova became the third Czech to win at Wimbledon after Jana Novotna and Petra Kvitova.

On Saturday, Ons Jabeur started the match perfectly by immediately succeeding the break to break away 2-0, but they were unable to maintain the advantage, neither this time nor when they led again 4-2. The 28-year-old Tunisian missed the next four games and the set, committing many unforced errors, such as the one that gave Vondrousova the break point at 4-4: a first smash with little pressure on her opponent, followed by a high forehand volley out of bounds.

For the first time in front of the score, the Czech thus served for the set at 5-4… and did not hesitate to conclude with a shutout. On its way, Marketa Vondrousova managed the second set entry break, but under an ovation from the public Ons Jabeur lined up three games (double break) to regain the lead, at 3-1.

Serious but without sparks, Marketa Vondrousova came back to 3-3. As in the first set, the two players came to 4-4, where Ons Jabeur offered the break to Marketa Vondrousova who, at 5-4, served this time to win the match. She offered herself three match points in a row. After spoiling the first on a double fault, she won the second on a volley.

The world

At Wimbledon, Novak Djokovic is in his garden. The Serb proved it once again on Friday July 14, leaving no chance to Jannik Sinner, whom he beat in the semi-finals in three sets and two hours and forty-eight minutes of play (6-3, 6-4, 7-6 [7-4]). Already winner of the last four editions of the London Grand Slam, the world number two could chain a fifth consecutive success and equal Roger Federer’s record of eight titles.

Read also: Article reserved for our subscribers Roland-Garros 2023: Novak Djokovic, hero alone against all, and now alone in the world

But before that, there is one last step for Djokovic, who will have to win the final on Sunday, against Carlos Alcaraz, who dominated (6-3, 6-3, 6-3) the Russian Daniil Medvedev at the end of the day. . As a regular at Center Court and given his form since the start of the season – he has already won the Australian Open and Roland-Garros in 2023 – he will start as the favorite for this meeting. Jannik Sinner, who was playing his very first Grand Slam semi-final, paid for his lack of experience against the Serb.

This was the case in the last set, during the 15th consecutive tie-break won by Djokovic, an absolute record in the Open era. Without trembling, the latter materialized his first match point to play his ninth final at Wimbledon. A completely different scenario from that of the 2022 quarter-final, when Sinner had frightened Djokovic for a moment by leading two sets to zero, before collapsing (5-7, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6 -2).

More jostled by the referee

This time, the world number 8 failed to really hinder the Serb, always decisive in key moments. At the start of the game, Djokovic saved two break points on his first service game, before taking on that of his young opponent (21 years old). Sure of his fact, “Nole” was finally more jostled by the referee, Richard Haigh, than by Sinner. In the second set, the world number two was booked for a time saver, seconds after being penalized with a lost point for shouting after hitting the ball.

“It could have been the turning point of the match, but I managed to stay focused”, assured a very relaxed Djokovic and a bit lodger towards the referee after the meeting. To win his 34th consecutive match at Wimbledon – he hasn’t lost there since 2017, in the quarter-final against Tomas Berdych – Djokovic still had to fight during the last round, notably saving two set points.

Read our report: Article reserved for our subscribers Roland-Garros 2023: Novak Djokovic, “national treasure” of Serbia

“He managed to put a lot of pressure on me in the third set. He has proven why he is one of the leaders of the new generation”, recognized Djokovic. In the final, the latter will face Carlos Alcaraz, world number one and another representative of this youth at the top. This meeting will be the revenge of the semi-final of Roland-Garros, during which the Spaniard, nervous and cramped, had given up in four sets (6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1) against the Serbian. Alcaraz, who won the Queens tournament on grass just before Wimbledon, will play his first final in the “temple of tennis”. Djokovic will have only one goal: to win a 24ᵉ Grand Slam title and equal the absolute record, women and men combined, of Margaret Court.

Revenge will wait. Swept away in the semi-finals (6-3, 6-3) by Marketa Vondrousova, Elina Svitolina could not resist the 42nd in the world. This is the second defeat of the Ukrainian against the Czech player after the one suffered, at the same stage of the competition, during the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. This poor performance should not, however, hide the exceptional summer of Elina Svitolina, surprise winner of Iga Swiatek, world number 1, on the London lawn in the quarter-finals (7-5, 6-7, 6-2), after several months away from the courts, between pregnancy, injuries and war in his country.

Currently world No. 76, Elina Svitolina has had a near-white season in 2022. During a mentally exhausting spring following the invasion of Ukraine, the player decided to step back from the courts. “I am proud to be Ukrainian. Let us unite in this extremely difficult time for the sake of peace and the future of our State. Glory to Ukraine »she wrote on Twitter, February 23, 2022. Tennis then took second place for Svitolina, who dedicated herself to helping her country and was appointed ambassador of the United 24 association, created by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

On May 17, 2022, Elina Svitolina, married to Frenchman Gaël Monfils, announced her pregnancy. Happy news that she shares on social networks: “With hearts full of love and happiness, we are delighted to announce that we are expecting a baby girl in October. » Despite recurring back pain, Svitolina returned to the circuit in March 2023, during the Charleston tournament in the United States. Eliminated in the first round against the Kazakh Yulia Putintseva, she won the Strasbourg tournament two months later. A first since his victory in Chicago in September 2021.

Third Grand Slam semi-final

It’s a rebirth for the tennis player, used to rubbing shoulders with the peaks (3ᵉ world in 2017) and descended into the abyss of the women’s ranking (WTA). Aligned on clay at Roland-Garros, a surface she does not like, Svitolina manages to reach the quarter-finals at the cost of an obstacle course. Finally beaten by Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, seeded number 2, in two sets (4-6, 4-6), she aroused the affection of the French public. “From the first round, I saw that I was supported, I was cheered by the public and I get a little more each time”, she breathes after her round of 16 against Daria Kasatkina. An unexpected return, after only two months of competition.

Read also: Article reserved for our subscribers Roland-Garros 2023: Aryna Sabalenka beats Elina Svitolina in a geopolitical match

During the London fortnight, she eliminated four former Grand Slam tournament winners (Venus Williams, Sofia Kenin, Victoria Azarenka and Iga Swiatek). Only Serena Williams, at the 1999 US Open, and Justine Hénin, at Roland-Garros in 2005, had achieved such a feat. In the quarter-finals, Iga Swiatek, eliminated after a 2:41 thriller sometimes reaching tennis heights, recognized the superiority of her opponent. “She didn’t play like she did when we played two years ago [à Rome en 2021], explained the Pole after her defeat. She was more liberated. »

Read the interview with Iga Swiatek: Article reserved for our subscribers Iga Swiatek, world number 1 in tennis: “Due to the war in Ukraine, there is currently a kind of chaos in the sport”

Where some might have given in to discouragement, Svitolina concedes that she feels stronger since the war, “including mentally”. “I don’t consider difficult times as disasters anymore. There are worse things in life. » On Thursday, this approach was not enough. She is eliminated for the third time in her career in the Grand Slam semi-finals, after Wimbledon and the US Open in 2019.

His opponent of the day, Marketa Vondrousova, will face in the final on Saturday, Ons Jabeur, winner of Aryna Sabalenka in three sets (6-7, 6-4, 6-3). The Czech, who will play in her second Grand Slam final after Roland Garros 2019 (lost to Ashleigh Barty), could become the first unseeded player to win Wimbledon. As for Svitolina, the Ukrainian will have another chance to win the grail at the US Open (August 28-September 10, 2023).

Novak Djokovic can match Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 Grand Slam titles. He qualified on Tuesday, July 11, for his twelfth Wimbledon semi-final by dismissing Russian Andrey Rublev (7^e world) 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-3. “I played well, I have the good energy and I hope to win again on Friday”declared with great serenity the 36-year-old Serb, who will face the Italian Jannik Sinner (8^e) for a place in the final of the tournament which he is playing for the eighteenth time.

“Djoko” also has his sights set on the record of eight titles on the London turf, held by Roger Federer for men, one length from the absolute record of Martina Navratilova (9).

So for his 71^e Grand Slam tournament, he is the player to beat again and again. ” I love that ! Any player wants to be the one everyone else wants to beat”he said. “The pressure is always immense, especially here at Wimbledon, but it motivates me and makes me play my best tennis. They all want my scalp, but they won’t get it! »he launched before adding, laughing: “That was humility! »

In terms of records, he is also aiming for a fifth title in a row at Wimbledon to equal the series of Federer (2003-2007) and Björn Borg (1976-1980). He has also reached his 46^e Grand Slam semi-final, equaling Federer’s men’s record.

He played his 400 on Tuesday^e Grand Slam match after playing his 100^e at Wimbledon in the previous round. Only Roger Federer (429) and Serena Williams (419) have played more matches in major tournaments.

Rublev resistance

On Tuesday, Rublev who had been completely helpless on the hard of the Australian Open in January, already in the quarter-finals, offered a totally different game on the London grass, where he even led a set to zero.

As proof of this resistance, in addition to the dirt staining the Russian’s T-shirt, Djokovic had to defend eight break points (one lost), but he converted seven out of twelve on Rublev’s service. “There were huge exchanges. Sometimes, between the speed of his ball and his roars, he is scary”commented Djokovic about his opponent of the day and the famous “bweh” that he releases on his strikes.

Read also: Article reserved for our subscribers Wimbledon: Andrey Rublev, back on the London lawn, wants to play the spoilsport

After losing this first set by giving up his serve at the end of the set, Djokovic took things in hand. Clearly, first, by succeeding two breaks to equalize at one set everywhere. More difficult in the third set where, after having made the break to lead 3-2, he served at 5-4 but only concluded on his fifth set point after having himself saved three break points.

The Djoker took control of the fourth set by breaking to lead 2-1 and, this time, his domination was total since he did not have to defend a single break point in the set and he pushed Rublev into a desperate final dive on match point.

Read also: Article reserved for our subscribers Roland-Garros 2023: Novak Djokovic, hero alone against all, and now alone in the world

The World with AFP

Sébastien Grosjean is wearing many hats: tournament director, shareholder, captain of the French team and television consultant… Requested by its ethics committee, the French Tennis Federation (FFT) decided, on Monday July 10, to offload the former world number 4 from his position as coach of the French men’s team, to avoid possible conflicts of interest. “After comparing Mr. Grosjean’s duties as captain with his interests resulting from various outside activities, the committee concluded that certain situations of interference constituting conflicts of interest existed”writes the FFT in a press release.

Captain of the Blues, Sébastien Grosjean is also director of the Open Sud de France tournament and consultant for the BeIN Sports television channel during the Wimbledon tournament (from July 3 to 16). Invited to comment on this decision, the former player assured the channel that he would keep the captaincy of the France team, but would refrain from being part of the selection: “The selection model will change a bit, but I will remain captain. There is always pride in being in that position. We started this campaign in February and we have to go to the end. »

Read also: Article reserved for our subscribers Roland-Garros ticket office: the complaint against the management of the FFT classified, but the legal battle continues

Co-founder and shareholder of Tennium, an agency which organizes tournaments and which also represents players – in particular Richard Gasquet, also a shareholder of Tennium, and Arthur Fils –, Sébastien Grosjean is the subject of “identified conflicts of interest”. This last function could influence the selection process for the Davis Cup and for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, according to the ethics committee.

A complex selection process

To overcome these conflicts of interest, the FFT has therefore decided to remove Grosjean from the “player selection process” so that the players’ choice is “carried out after consultation with the national technical director [Nicolas Escudé] and the high-level director of the FFT [Paul-Henri Mathieu] for discussion and validation before transmission to the President [de la FFT, Gilles Moretton] ». This decision, presented to the executive committee and recorded since July 7, is ” immediate effect “.

According to the FFT and the recommendations of its ethics committee, Mr. Moretton will announce the list of Blues selected instead of Sébastien Grosjean. Since he became captain in December 2018, the day after the change of model of the Davis Cup, worn by Spanish footballer Gérard Piqué, the Frenchman’s record has been mixed, with five wins and four losses. The Blues are due to face Australia, Great Britain and Switzerland in Manchester from September 12 to 17, as part of the group stage of the Davis Cup which is to lead to the “Final 8” in Malaga in November. In what state will they be, when their captain no longer has the right to select them and the performances of the French players are struggling?

The World with AFP

They were twenty in the first round – sixteen for men, four for women – but no one will see the round of 16. France lost, one by one, all its representatives of the 2023 edition of the Wimbledon tennis tournament, culminating in the defeats, Friday July 7, of Caroline Garcia and Varvara Gracheva in the women’s category, and of Quentin Halys , Alexandre Müller and Adrian Mannarino, in the men’s draw.

Garcia was the last tricolor in the running to be able to qualify, and the world number 5 seemed to have the match in hand against the Czech Marie Bouzkova (33^e) that she took to the four corners of the London courts (number 18 then number 1 at nightfall). But with 53 faults, the 29-year-old Lyonnaise wasted far too much to win her opponent who applied himself to commit only fourteen faults.

Fatigue is perhaps not for nothing since the French had already delivered a match of 2 h 31 in the second round on Thursday, concluded in the super-tie break of the third set, and had to continue on her third round on Friday in due to the delay in the programming caused by the rain which disrupted the tournament during the first three days.

On arrival, it was Bouzkova, who had already eliminated Garcia last year but in the round of 16, who moved on to the second week after a success in three sets 7-6 (7/0), 4-6, 7-5.

“In the end, it’s frustrating and sad. The match, I tried to get it, to do things. She’s a girl I’ve never been successful with in the past and I’ve never been this close to winning against her.”said Caroline Garcia. “It hurts, especially since it’s still a match that is not played much that I can’t manage to tip in my favor”lamented the French player who is unable to regain her level of confidence and success from the second part of last year.

Read also: Article reserved for our subscribers Roland-Garros: Caroline Garcia, eliminated, struggles to confirm the promises of 2022

“Last year in these moments, I managed to do great things. This year for the moment it does not work in my favor but it is by continuing that it will work »she concluded.

Gracheva is not far from the feat

Friday started with a bang when Varvara Gracheva, of Russian descent and naturalized French in early June, looked like she could beat world No. 2 Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka in a second-round match. Gracheva (41)^e) found himself in the game of victory, leading 6-2, 5-4, but the meeting suddenly tipped in favor of his opponent.

Sabalenka then won seven points in a row to equalize at 5-5 and afford three break points on the French serve. She converted the second and served at 6-5 to take the game into a third set. In this decisive set, she took the service of Gracheva to lead 2-1 and fly to victory with the score of 2-6, 7-5, 6-2.

Read also: Wimbledon: the great premiere of Varvara Gracheva in Grand Slam under the French colors

“It was crazy… She played incredibly well and I’m very happy to have won”said Aryna Sabalenka, semi-finalist in 2021 and banned from the tournament last year because of her nationality and the war in Ukraine.

Medvedev and Alcaraz enforce logic

Less close to the feat, Quentin Halys (79^e), who reached the third round of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time, can nevertheless boast of being the first to have taken a set from the Italian Jannik Sinner (8^e) on the London turf this year. But last year’s quarter-finalist turned things around and won 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4.

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“I proved that against one of the best I could be at the level”noted Halys. “It will boost confidence and give me ideas for going to work”he added.

Read also: Article reserved for our subscribers Wimbledon: Andrey Rublev, back on the London lawn, wants to play the spoilsport

The step was however too high for Adrian Mannarino (35^e), in the second round against Daniil Medvedev (3^e), and for Alexandre Müller (84^e), also in the second round, against the world number 1, Carlos Alcaraz.

In a match started the day before and interrupted by the night at 6-3, 6-3, 4-4 for Medvedev, Mannarino seemed able to push his opponent a little more to his limits on the restart. “When he plays well, he plays at Top 5 level, but sometimes he misses easy shots. So I’m happy to have won in three sets.”commented the 27-year-old Russian who finally won 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (7/5).

Müller was logically dominated by Alcaraz. “I won my first match here, I had a good match on the Central against the world number 1… All is well”, listed the Frenchman. He hung on but couldn’t prevent Alcaraz from winning for the first time in his career on the legendary Center Court, 6-4, 7-6 (7/2), 6-3.

“It was my second match on this court where I lost last year. I wanted to take advantage of it and I did”said the 20-year-old Spaniard, who does not hide his ambitions to win the tournament.

Read also: Wimbledon: swept away by Carlos Alcaraz, the Frenchman Jérémy Chardy puts his rackets back

Djokovic in search of a new record

Novak Djokovic, in search of a 24^e Grand Slam title to equal Margaret Court’s absolute record, does not see it that way and qualified for the round of 16 by dominating the Swiss Stan Wawrinka (88^e) 6-3, 6-1, 7-6 (7/5). After very quietly winning the first two sets, the Serb was hooked in the third and concluded just minutes before the 11pm curfew came into effect. He got out in time and will face the Pole Hubert Hurkacz (18^e) for a place in the quarter-finals.

With this success, Djokovic landed a 31^e straight win at Wimbledon, since losing in the quarterfinals in 2017. He has since gone unbeaten with four consecutive titles. A fifth, on July 16, would allow her to equal the record of eight Wimbledon titles held by Roger Federer, one length from the absolute record of Martina Navratilova.

The World with AFP

Chardy, it’s over. The French did not last long against world number 1, Carlos Alcaraz, Tuesday, July 4, for his entry into the running at Wimbledon (6-0, 6-2, 7-5). A defeat recorded in 1 h 24, synonymous with the end of his career for the man who had announced that he would definitely put his rackets back after the London tournament.

“I live here, I train a lot here. It’s a special place for me. And finishing here, in singles, is something I wanted. (…) It started a bit here, I won in juniors. I have my whole family coming, I’m playing against the world number 1 on one of the most beautiful courts… It will be a great end no matter what.”had entrusted the interested party to Franceinfo, Sunday.

A title in Stuttgart in 2009

The French left the field under the ovation of the public, after having come close to a dry defeat against the Spaniard, expeditious. Sounding the revolt in the last set, the Habs prolonged the pleasure by playing a last tie-break before leaving, with felted steps, the London lawn.

At 36, the Palois went through a difficult period. Knee operated in 2022, Jérémy Chardy only played five games in 2023, for a single victory. Fallen back to 542^e world place, his main feats of arms will be a title in Stuttgart, in 2009, a quarter-final at the Australian Open, in 2013, and a Davis Cup title with the France team, in 2017.

The retirement of Jérémy Chardy already promises to be active since the latter is now the coach of his compatriot Ugo Humbert. The Palois will also have one last opportunity to shine before returning to his home, since he will play the Wimbledon tournament in doubles with his new protege.

The world

In her last appearance of 2021 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, which hosts Wimbledon, the third Grand Slam tournament of the season, Varvara Gracheva represented Russia. Two years later, the 22-year-old is back in the south-west suburbs of London, but as number 2… French, behind Caroline Garcia (5th in the world).

In two years, things have changed a lot for the one who went from 90ᵉ to 41ᵉ in the world – her best ranking. Banned from participating in the London major in 2022 after the exclusion of Russians and Belarusians from the tournament, in response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, Varvara Gracheva will tread again on Tuesday July 4 against the Italian Camila Giorgi, the Wimbledon grass. If the Russian and Belarusian players were allowed to participate again in the event, the problem no longer concerns her: she was naturalized French on May 25.

Happy timing for the tall (1.78 meter) right-hander who nurtured this project and who had started the process a long time ago, long before the start of the war in Ukraine in February 2022 – which she never mentioned publicly. Benefiting from five years of residence in France and a letter of recommendation from the French Tennis Federation, she had submitted her naturalization file on March 5, quietly, and passed her French exam in November 2022.

Based in Cannes since 2016

“I like almost everything here”she told The Team in April. However, her debut in France and at the Elite Tennis Center in Cannes (Alpes-Maritimes), where she has been training since 2016, did not bode well: “I complained constantly, I threw my racket. I thought I was going to be kicked out of the center. (…) It was hell. I don’t know how and why they wanted to keep me. »

Read also: Tennis: Wimbledon reinstates Russian and Belarusian players “under conditions” one year after banishing them

His first good memory? Winter preparation for 2018. An intense sequence that acts as a trigger. “I really liked it. It was from there that I started to feel like I belonged, she recalls. It was the first time I had done something so professional. I told my mother and it convinced her to stay here. »

After two years “in the same place and with the same people”which had never happened to her before, Varvara Gracheva is seriously considering moving to Cannes full-time, especially since her mother has bought an apartment there. “I started thinking: ‘This is my base here, I’m going to make my life there…’ So why not take nationality? », she says. The ex-Russian is gradually falling under the spell of France: “I appreciate its history, its architecture, I love walking around looking at all the details. It’s something I’ve never felt anywhere else. »

“Reserved and hardworking”

Born in Moscow, Varvara Gracheva was immersed in the world of the little yellow ball from an early age thanks to her mother, a tennis teacher, who made her hit her first balls in Zhukovsky, a small town near the capital. But the facilities are limited – only two hard courts – and, very quickly, before entering the junior circuit, she turns abroad to benefit from better conditions.

After a stint in Germany, she put her suitcases in the south of France, pushed by her mother who had had good feedback from the Cannes center: the son of family friends trained there, as well as her now illustrious ex. -compatriot Daniil Medvedev (3^e World), who took up residence there between 2013 and 2020.

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Trained for the first four years by Frenchman Jean-René Lisnard, former 84ᵉ in the world, the “reserved and hardworking” player – as he describes in the columns of the Parisian – now evolves under the leadership of Xavier Pujo, also a former professional player. His initially flat game (straight ball trajectories) on both sides was enriched with a backhand slice and better defense. “ It’s a steamroller, details Lisnard. She plays fast, but without missing. She chokes you, she has strength. She knows how to activate the “robot” mode. »

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Finalist at the WTA 250 in Austin (United States) in March then eighth finalist at the WTA 1000 in Indian Wells and Miami with prestigious victories against the Russian Daria Kasatkina (10th in the world) and the Tunisian Ons Jabeur (6th), Varvara Gracheva is now aiming for the top 30 by the end of 2023. On June 26, she won on the grass of Bad Hombourg (Germany), against the Romanian Jaqueline Cristian (133ᵉ), her first match as a Frenchwoman. The start of a new chapter.