Tokyo WTA 500: Gracheva Dominates Arango and Moves Closer to Main Draw

The only French player entered in the Tokyo qualifiers, Varvara Gracheva is just one win away from the main draw.

World No. 83 Varvara Gracheva hopes to end her season on a high note. After losing in the first round of the Osaka tournament this week, the French player aims to enter the main draw of the Tokyo WTA 500.

And the 25-year-old player is now very close to achieving this goal. In the first round of the qualifiers, Gracheva faced Emiliana Arango. The Colombian reached the final of the Guadalajara WTA 500 in September but has struggled since then, with five losses in her last eight matches.

It was a great opportunity for Gracheva, and despite an uncertain match, the French player managed to pull through (6-2, 2-6, 7-5 in 1 hour 50 minutes). She will now compete in the tournament if she succeeds against Maddison Inglis. The Australian, ranked 157th in the WTA, benefited from Hailey Baptiste's retirement (2-6, 6-4, 1-0 ret.).