Rising Russian teenager Andreeva sends local hope Gracheva packing

PARIS :Russian-born Frenchwoman Varvara Gracheva rode a huge wave of support from the large partisan crowd but could not prevent a 7-5 6-2 defeat by teenager Mirra Andreeva in the French Open fourth round on Monday.

It was a disappointing end for fans on Court Suzanne Lenglen who had taken to Gracheva after she obtained French nationality last year but they also acknowledged rising Russian 17-year-old Andreeva who becomes the youngest player to reach the women's quarter-finals at the French Open since 2006.

Andreeva breezed through the opening set and broke Gracheva early in the second but the 88th-ranked Frenchwoman raised her level in the third game and produced a huge forehand to thwart her opponent temporarily.

The joy was short-lived, however, as Andreeva hardly put a foot wrong after that with power and precision to complete the match in 91 minutes.

"There are things I could have done better. I could perhaps do away with the mistakes I made, the faults on my forehand which was played too quickly," Gracheva said. "I have to be more patient."

Ranked 88th at the start of the tournament, the Frenchwoman is set to rise to 70 in the rankings when they are updated on Monday, which should allow her to participate in the Paris Olympics as the fourth-best French player.

"It's a beautiful memory for me and my team. I will try and enjoy that moment for as long as I can," she said.

The usually fickle French crowd chanted Andreeva's name and gave her a huge ovation as 23-year-old Gracheva left the court wondering what could have been.

In the next round she will face Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka who defeated American Emma Navarro 6-2 6-3 earlier in the day.