From a Rocky Start to a Resilient Rally
Varvara Gracheva stumbled out of the gates—21 unforced errors in the opening set—but she rebounded with renewed focus and a back-to-basics strategy. Her decisive break of Ella Seidel’s serve in the second set signaled a shift in momentum. Gracheva sharpened her shot selection, reduced errors, and capitalized on her opponent’s fatigue under sweltering Ohio heat, ultimately leveling the match and taking control.
Seidel vs Gracheva – Match Stats
| Statistic | Seidel | Gracheva |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 0.74 | 1.36 |
| Serve Rating | 190 | 255 |
| Aces | 1 | 4 |
| Double Faults | 8 | 2 |
| 1st Serve % | 53% (50/94) | 61% (35/57) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 60% (30/50) | 74% (26/35) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 39% (17/44) | 45% (10/22) |
| Break Points Saved | 57% (8/14) | 0% (0/3) |
| Service Games | 45% (5/11) | 73% (8/11) |
| Ace % | 1.1% | 7% |
| Double Fault % | 8.5% | 3.5% |
| Return Rating | 208 | 199 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 26% (9/35) | 40% (20/50) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 55% (12/22) | 61% (27/44) |
| Break Points Won | 100% (3/3) | 43% (6/14) |
| Return Games | 27% (3/11) | 55% (6/11) |
| Pressure Points | 65% (11/17) | 35% (6/17) |
| Service Points | 50% (47/94) | 63% (36/57) |
| Return Points | 37% (21/57) | 50% (47/94) |
| Total Points | 45% (68/151) | 55% (83/151) |
| Match Points Saved | 0 | 0 |
| Max Points In A Row | 6 | 6 |
| Service Games Won | 45% (5/11) | 73% (8/11) |
| Return Games Won | 27% (3/11) | 55% (6/11) |
| Total Games Won | 36% (8/22) | 64% (14/22) |
| Max Games In A Row | 5 | 8 |
| Match Duration | 1h 55m | |
A Career-High, Powered by Persistence
As a qualifier ranked 103rd, Varvara Gracheva has just delivered the most impressive run of her career at a WTA 1000 event. After unseeded victories over Sofia Kenin and Karolina Muchova, she defied expectations once again. The physically drained Ella Seidel, fresh also from qualies and ranked 125th, couldn’t match Gracheva’s consistency, allowing the Frenchwoman to dominate the final two sets with ease (6‑1, 6‑1). This win assures Gracheva a spot inside the top‑85 in next week’s rankings.
Embracing the Moment—and the Pressure
“I’m living a fairytale—from qualies to quarters,” Gracheva reflected. Admitting she wasn’t sure she believed she could reach this stage, she described a moment of clarity after the first set: “My coach told me to go back to basics. I said, ‘Okay, I can do that,’ and I did.” Despite her opponent’s stoppage for heat stress, Gracheva stayed sharp, disciplined, and composed—sticking with consistent depth rather than chasing winners. Her mature approach, especially at a time still new to this level, proved the difference. The Moscow-born Frenchwoman has now rattled off six straight wins, a stunning statement at this level of the tour.
She will now face Veronika Kudermetova, the other suprise package of this 2025 Cincinnati Open.