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By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, December 12, 2025Photo credit score: Hameltion/Wikimedia Commons
The exodus of Russian tennis gamers continues.
Polina Kudermetova is the newest Russian-born tennis participant to alter citizenship.
World No. 104 Polina Kudermetova, youthful sister of Veronika Kudermetova, will symbolize Uzbekistan beginning in 2026, the Uzbekistan Tennis Federation introduced immediately.
Former world No. 54 Polina Kudermetova already seems on the WTA web site with the Uzbekistan flag on her participant web page.
“Polina Kudermetova will [play] for Uzbekistan,” the Uzbekistan Tennis Federation introduced. “Russian tennis participant Polina Kudermetova has formally modified her sports activities citizenship and now represents Uzbekistan on the worldwide enviornment. The up to date flag is already displayed on ITF and WTA web sites.
“Presently, Kudermetova ranks 104th within the WTA rankings, and her highest place is 54th (April 14, 2025). The feminine athlete has 9 ITF singles titles.”
Polina Kudermetova’s nation change comes 11 days after Anastasia Potapova made a dramatic citizenship change forward of the 2026 season.
The 24-year-old Potapova, who was born in Saratov, Russia, will play as an Austrian beginning subsequent month.
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 house,” Kasatkina posted to X. “I really like being in Melbourne and stay 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 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 underneath 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 symbolize Uzbekistan in what the Federation known as “a historic occasion” for the nation’s tennis federation. Rakhimova and Polina Kudermetova be a part of Maria Timoffeeva in switching nations to play for Uzbekistan.
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 Prime 10.
Rybakina’s swap happened six years after Moscow-born Yulia Putintseva left the Russian Tennis Federation to symbolize Kazakhstan.
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