In a significant development for her professional career, Russian tennis player Anastasia Potapova has officially confirmed her decision to change her sporting nationality. The announcement, made on December 4, 2025, reveals that the current World No. 51 will compete under the Austrian flag starting in 2026, marking a new chapter in her journey.
Anastasia Potapova Reveals Austria Move on Social Media
Potapova shared the news through an Instagram post, where she expressed her gratitude and excitement about the change. She informed her followers that the Austrian government had accepted her application for citizenship, a decision she has wholeheartedly embraced.
“I am delighted to let you all know that my application for citizenship has been accepted by the Austrian Government,” Potapova wrote.
“Austria is a place I love, is incredibly welcoming and a place where I feel totally at home. I love being in Wien 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.”
This development comes nearly two years after her ex-husband, Alexander Shevchenko, made a similar transition.
In January 2024, Shevchenko switched his allegiance from Russia to Kazakhstan, becoming one of the most prominent male players to change nationality since international restrictions were placed on Russian teams in 2022. At the time, Shevchenko, who has resided in Vienna since he was nine years old, stated he was “very proud” of the move and eager to create “memorable moments” for his new country.
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Potapova and Shevchenko were married in December 2023 but announced their separation in November 2024, just over a year after their marriage. In a subsequent interview, Potapova reflected on the split, acknowledging that while she was disappointed, it was a part of life.
Once her transition to representing Austria is finalized, the 24-year-old, who holds three WTA singles titles: Istanbul (2022), Linz (2023), and Cluj-Napoca (2025), will become the nation’s top-ranked female player.
A Growing Trend of Russian Players Switching Nationalities
Potapova’s decision is part of a larger trend that has seen numerous Russian tennis players change their sporting citizenship in recent years, notably since Russian teams were excluded from international competitions in 2022.
Among the most notable switches is that of Daria Kasatkina, who officially began representing Australia in March 2025 after gaining permanent residency in the country. The world’s 12th-ranked player cited her desire to “live a free, open life” as a key reason for the change.
Varvara Gracheva transitioned to French citizenship in June 2023, having lived and trained in France for over five years. Similarly, Elina Avanesyan, who was born in Russia to Armenian parents, became an Armenian citizen in August 2024, stating she was “proud to bring success to my ancestral homeland.”
This trend is not entirely new, as several other prominent players have changed their nationality in recent years. Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, has been representing Kazakhstan since 2018 after its tennis federation offered her crucial financial support.
Alexander Bublik made the same switch in 2016, citing a lack of support from the Russian Tennis Federation. Other long-standing examples include Daria Saville, who became an Australian citizen in December 2015, and Yulia Putintseva, who began competing for Kazakhstan back in June 2012.
