By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, December 4, 2025
Picture credit score: Anastasia Potapova Instagram
Anastasia Potapova has made a dramatic citizenship change forward of the 2026 season.
The 24-year-old Potapova introduced at the moment that her software for Austrian citizenship has been granted. Potapova, who was born in Saratov, Russia, will play as an Austrian beginning subsequent month.
“I’m delighted to allow you to all know that my software for citizenship has been accepted by the Austrian Authorities,” Potapova stated in an Instagram submit at the moment. “Austria is a spot I really like, is extremely welcoming and a spot the place I really feel completely at dwelling. I really like being in Wien and stay up for making my second dwelling there.
“As a part of this I’m proud to announce that ranging from 2026 I might be representing my new homeland Austria in my skilled tennis profession from this level onwards.”
Former world No. 21 Potapova joins a number of former Russian stars who’ve modified international locations.
Final March, Daria Kasatkina introduced she was altering nationality from Russian to Australian.
“Australia is a spot I really like, is extremely welcoming and a spot the place I really feel completely at dwelling,” Kasatkina posted to X. “I really like being in Melbourne and stay up for making my dwelling there.
“As a part of this, I’m proud to announce that I might be representing my new homeland, Australia, in my skilled tennis profession from this level onwards.”
Kasatkina, who got here out as homosexual in 2022, has cited Russia’s remedy of the LGBTQ neighborhood and the very fact she didn’t really feel protected in her homeland after criticizing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as components in her determination to maneuver to Australia.
“I’ll at all times have respect and fond appreciation for my roots, however I’m thrilled to begin this new chapter in my profession and my life below the Australian flag,” Kasatkina posted on social media.
Potapova’s public swap to Austria comes a number of days after the Uzbekistan Tennis Federation introduced Russian Kamilla Rakhimova will now characterize Uzbekistan in what the Federation known as “a historic occasion” for the nation’s tennis federation.
“We’re delighted to welcome Kamilla to the nationwide group,” Sardor Kamilov said in comments published by UZ Daily.com. “We’re assured that new successes and spectacular performances below the flag of Uzbekistan lie forward.”
Moscow-born Elena Rybakina modified citizenship from Russia to Kazakhstan again in June, 2018 largely to obtain funding for her tennis profession from Kazakhstan.
The 2022 Wimbledon champion Rybakina has gone on to make historical past as the primary Kazakh to crack the world’s High 10.
Rybakina’s swap took place six years after Moscow-born Yulia Putintseva left the Russian Tennis Federation to characterize Kazakhstan.
