GRACHEVA 5-7 2-6 ANDREEVA
She is becoming a great story and a name to follow. Russian Mirra Andreeva, 17, beats someone she knows very well, local favorite Varvara Gracheva, and now reaches a Grand Slam quarter-final for the first time.
Speaking on court after her victory and the elimination of the last French player in singles at Roland Garros, Andreeva said:
???? “It’s incredible. It’s always difficult to play against a friend, someone you know well, and I knew it would be a tough battle mentally. I prepared for everything.
“It was hard to play against a French crowd but I’m really happy to have managed to get through it. We’ve worked to handle situations like this and I’m glad you can see that I stay calm in these moments because I’ve worked at it and I’m glad it’s paying off.
“When I heard the crowd shouting ‘Varvara, Varvara’, I turned them into shouting my name, and that helped!”
At this last comment, the Lenglen crowd spontaneously began chanting “Andreeva, Andreeva!” and we have smiles all around.
