"I needed positive emotions," says Gracheva after her win against Muchova in Cincinnati

Varvara Gracheva has advanced to the round of 16 at the WTA 1000 in Cincinnati. The French player, who had already defeated Volynets and Kenin, eliminated world No. 14 Karolina Muchova (6-2, 6-4).

Under the guidance of her new coach, Caleb Simms, Gracheva—who will return to the top 100 after the tournament—will now face Ella Seidel for a spot in the quarterfinals. After the match, the 25-year-old shared her thoughts following her victory over the Czech player.

"I feel good, I needed positive emotions. I can be creative on the court—it’s in my DNA. But I also know there’s a game plan to follow. Because if I make the wrong choices, my creativity won’t matter.

You have to find the right balance between what I want to do and what I need to do. That’s where the coach helps. I knew I wasn’t the favorite, but Caleb had a clear plan, and I executed it well.

I also took inspiration from Caroline Garcia’s match in the previous round. She played really well, aside from a few small mistakes that kept Muchova in the match. This time, I had a goal: to make her run as much as possible, to hit topspin when I wasn’t in an attacking position.

In the first set, everything was happening so fast, and I thought, ‘Oh damn, what’s going on? I’m really doing well,’" Gracheva told *L’Équipe* shortly after her victory.