Photograph credit score: Lucian Nuta/WikimediaCommons
Anastasia Potapova has made a dramatic citizenship change forward of the 2026 season.
The 24-year-old Potapova introduced that her utility 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 utility for citizenship has been accepted by the Austrian Authorities,” Potapova mentioned in an Instagram publish at the moment. “Austria is a spot I like, is extremely welcoming and a spot the place I really feel completely at house. I like being in Wien and sit up for making my second house there.
“As a part of this I’m proud to announce that ranging from 2026 I can 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 like, is extremely welcoming and a spot the place I really feel completely at house,” Kasatkina posted to X. “I like being in Melbourne and sit up for making my house there.
“As a part of this, I’m proud to announce that I can 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 therapy of the LGBTQ group and the actual fact she didn’t really feel secure in her homeland after criticizing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as components in her choice 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 underneath the Australian flag,” Kasatkina posted on social media.
Potapova’s public swap to Austria comes a couple of days after the Uzbekistan Tennis Federation introduced Russian Kamilla Rakhimova will now symbolize Uzbekistan in what the Federation referred to as “a historic occasion” for the nation’s tennis federation.
