Gracheva wins first match as French citizen

Russian-born Varvara Gracheva has won the first match she played since becoming a French citizen.

Gracheva, 22, was born in Moscow but has lived and trained in France for six years.

She beat Romanian Jacqueline Cristian 6-2 6-2 at the Bad Homburg Open in Germany yesterday.

World number 43 Gracheva becomes the French women’s number two and will represent her new country when Wimbledon starts on 3 July.

• Sexual abuse of minors, female migrants increasing in A/Ibom — NIS
• Sexual abuse of minors, female migrants increasing in A/Ibom — NIS

She played at the French Open in May but was not listed as French as she had not yet received her French passport.