It's official, Varavara Gracheva is selectable with Les Bleues and can potentially compete in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games under the French banner. Born in Russia but resident of the Elite Tennis Center in Cannes since she was 16 years old, the 41st player in the world was notified on Monday of her French naturalization.
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I started to think: 'This is my base here, I want to make my life here', Gracheva told L'Equipe at the time of the submission of his application. And my mother, at the same time, bought an apartment. That's how I decided to stay full-time in this place. So why not take the nationality.
No relation to the war in Ukraine
Eliminated in the 2nd round of Roland-Garros by the American Sloane Stephens, Varvara Gracheva says that her decision is in no way related to the war in Ukraine, which she does not wish to mention. "I started the procedures well before this happened," justified the Russian, still with the Team.