French tennis player accuses former coach of sexual assault

NEW YORK (AP) — A professional tennis player from France who reached a career-high ranking of No. 39 last year has accused her former coach of rape and sexual assault. The French Tennis Federation said in a statement Saturday that it is “standing by” Fiona Ferro, a 25-year-old who lost in qualifying at the U.S. Open last week. The federation added that it “is examining the possibility of filing a civil lawsuit in this case.” Ferro wrote on social media about her accusation against Bouteyre. The Associated Press typically does not identify people who say they have been sexually assaulted unless they come forward publicly, which Ferro has done. She is the latest female tennis player to bring attention to the issue of predatory coaches.