Alexander Bublik admits he still feels Russian but explained he feels 'very proud' to be playing tennis under the Kazakh flag.
The 25-year-old Bublik was born in Gatchina, Russia but moved to Kazakhstan in 2016 when he turned pro, opting to play tennis representing his new home.
That decision six years ago means the World No. 43 has been able to enjoy benefits that players such as Russian duo Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev have not, such as playing at this years Wimbledon when all Russian and Belarussian players were excluded from the event due to Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
Bublik, playing in Florence this week, was speaking to tennis website Ubitennis and discussed his decision to switch his allegiance to Kazakhstan.
He told Ubaldo Scanagatta: "I represent the country that I am playing for. Yes, I was born in Russia and have lived there for most of my life. I moved to Kazakhstan in 2016 and there is a big emotional connection there.
"What they did for me is incredible and how they helped me when I was in need. Of course, I do feel Russian with my whole family being from Russia. But being a player who represents Kazakhstan in the world arenas is a pleasure for me and I feel very proud."
Bublik's attitude and commitment to tennis has often been questioned, with a video recently circulating on social media of him being booed by a French crowd in Metz when he played a point with the handle of his racket during a final.
But he was as high as World No.30 earlier in the year and won his first Tour title at the Montpellier Open.
And when asked about historic comment he made about only playing the sport for the money, Bublik set the record straight.
"The media has been doing it wrong many times. With my speeches, sometimes they take my words out (of context) and use them," he continued.
"It was not a joke that I said I play tennis for money because at that specific moment I was not enjoying what I was doing. But as time went by and it has been three years since that interview, things have changed a lot and I do enjoy playing tennis now because I realized that this is what I wanted to do when I was a kid."
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