Anastasia Potapova joins growing list of tennis players leaving Russia, moves to Vienna
NewsThursday, 04 December 2025 at 19:25
Anastasia Potapova on Thursday joined a growing list of
tennis players leaving Russia as ban on Russian players persists amid the
Ukraine war.
Potapova finished this year as the World No. 51. She triumphed
at the Winners Open Cluj-Napoca in February to win what remained the sole title
for her in the season. She posted a 24-16 record before stopping at the China
Open in October.
On Thursday, the 24-year-old announced on social media that Austria
has accepted her citizenship request and she will play under the Austrian flag next
season onwards.
"I am delighted to let you all know that my application for citizenship has been accepted by the Austrian Government.”- Anastasia Potapova wrote on Instagram
Potapova will be moving to a new home in Vienna, Austria’s
capital city as she displaces Julia Grabher (World No. 94) to become the
top-ranked Austrian on the WTA Tour.
"Austria is a place I love, is incredibly welcoming and a place where I feel totally at home. I love being in Wien [Vienna] and look forward to making my second home there. As part of this I am proud to announce that starting from 2026 I will be representing my new homeland Austria in my professional tennis career from this point onwards."
The tennis federations of Russia and Belarus are under a ban
from every top governing body of tennis since March 2022. Players from these
countries are allowed to compete on the tour only under a neutral flag.
Their international teams have no representation at events like
the Billie Jean King Cup, Davis Cup and United Cup. Wimbledon banned Russian
and Belarusian players from competing in 2022 altogether.
Potapova has become the second player in the last three days
to give up the Russian citizenship. Kamilla Rakhimova, the World No. 112
switched allegiance from Russia to Uzbekistan.
Other players who changed their passport include Daria
Kasatkina (Australia), Natela Dzelamidze (Georgia) and Potapova’s ex-husband Alexander
Shevchenko (Kazakhstan).
Russian Tennis Federation president: “These moves are happening because of Olympics”
After Kamilla Rakhimova adopted Uzbeki citizenship, Russian
Tennis Federation president Shamil Tarpischev claimed their players are turning
away from Russia to play the Olympics.
“This isn't betrayal, but a desire to play. She remains Russian, but she's simply changing her sporting citizenship. These moves are happening because of the upcoming Olympics.”- Shamil Tarpischev told TASS
“She wouldn't have made our national team. She could make it for Uzbekistan. But it's not a given that she’ll make it. To qualify for the Olympics, you need to be in the top 60 or top 70.”
If Tarpischev’s assessment is right, Potapova, who is in the
top 60 at present, may have decided to switch to Austria for different reasons.
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