The Russian invasion of Ukraine has had a significant impact on the world of tennis ever since it started in February 2022.

Russian and Belarusian players have been forced to compete as neutral athletes on both the ATP and WTA Tours, and while that is far more lenient than the complete bans put in place in other sports, several players have since decided to switch citizenship and represent new nations instead.

With WTA Tour star Anastasia Potapova the latest player to switch from Russian citizenship, we look at a handful of players who have made the same decision since the conflict started almost four years ago.

Anastasia Potapova – Austria (December 2025)

World No 51 Potapova announced on Thursday that she would be representing Austria from the start of 2026 season, sharing the news on Instagram.

She wrote: “I am delighted to let you all know that my citizenship application has been accepted by the Austrian Government.

“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.”

A former junior world No 1 and Wimbledon girls’ singles champion in 2016, Potapova has a career-high ranking of world No 21 from June 2023.

She reached the fourth round of the French Open in 2024 and has won three WTA Tour singles titles, most recently triumphing at the 2025 Transylvania Open.

Potapova was one of a string of players who recently attracted criticism for competing at the Northern Palmyra Trophies in St. Petersburg.

Kamila Rakhimova – Uzbekistan (December 2025)

Potapova’s decision to switch from Russian citizenship comes just days after fellow WTA player Rakhimova’s move to representing Uzbekistan was also confirmed.

The 24-year-old is yet to publicly comment on her change of citizenship, though the move has been confirmed by the Uzbek Tennis Federation.

Currently ranked 112th in the world, Rakhimova reached a career-high of 60th in December 2024.

Maria Timofeeva – Uzbekistan (October 2025)

Much like Rakhimova, fellow WTA player Timofeeva made the switch to represent Uzbekistan back in October 2025.

The 22-year-old is currently ranked 146th in the world and has a career-high ranking of 93rd from April 2024, having reached the fourth round of the Australian Open that year.

Timofeeva has not yet publicly commented on her decision to change citizenship.

Daria Kasatkina – Australia (March 2025)

The highest-profile player to switch citizenship is Kasatkina, who confirmed in March 2025 that she would start competing for Australia, having successfully applied for permanent residence.

The 28-year-old, who is openly gay, has publicly criticised strict LGBTQ+ laws in Russia and has publicly condemned the nation’s invasion of Ukraine.

Currently ranked 37th in the world, Kasatkina has reached a career-high of eighth, winning eight WTA Tour singles titles and reaching the semi-final of the 2022 French Open.

Elina Avanesyan – Armenia (August 2024)

Former world No 36 Avanesyan switched to representing Armenia in the summer of 2024, representing the country for the first time at the Cincinnati Open that year.

In a social media post at the time, she wrote: “I am proud to share that I am officially a citizen of Armenia, and I am honored to be competing under my Armenian flag starting at the Cincinnati Open on Monday! Excited for this new chapter and to bring success to my ancestral homeland.”

Born to Armenian parents, Avanesyan — who reached the fourth round of the French Open in 2023 and 2024 — is currently ranked 118th in the world after battling glandular fever in 2025.

Alexander Shevchenko – Kazakhstan (January 2024)

The highest-profile male player to switch from Russian citizenship since February 2022, Shevchenko began representing Kazakhstan in January 2024, following the Australian Open.

The 25-year-old is currently ranked 95th in the world and reached a career-high of 45th in February 2024, reaching one ATP Tour singles final during his career.

On social media at the time of his switch, he wrote: “I’m very proud about it and can’t wait to step on the court, trying to make memorable moments for myself and the country.”

Shevchenko followed in the path of the likes of Elena Rybakina, Yulia Putintseva, and Alexander Bublik, who had switched from Russian to Kazakh citizenship well before 2022, largely due to financial reasons.

Tennis News

Coco Gauff’s wealth continues to soar as she edges Sabalenka on earnings list, Raducanu out of top 15

Coco Gauff names her five WTA GOATS – ‘I think that she is obviously the greatest’

Ksenia Efremova – France (September 2023)

Sixteen-year-old Efremova is widely considered one of the hottest prospects in French tennis, and officially obtained citizenship for the country in September 2023.

The daughter of a former Russian WTA Tour player, Yulia Efremova, the 16-year-old moved to France alongside her mother and sister in 2019, training at the Mouratoglou Academy.

Varvara Gracheva – France (June 2023)

Born in Moscow, Gracheva represented Russia until the summer of 2023, when she became a French citizen after living in the country for five years.

Speaking to The Daily Mail in March 2023, she claimed that she had started the process to switch nationalities prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

She said: “When I started the process it was not even close to the situation (the war), nobody knew what was going to happen.

“It’s something that we never really aim for. So why not? Why not take the opportunity? But the decision doesn’t depend on me, there are other people who will decide my future. I will say more if I get my papers. We put all the paperwork in this month.

“I’m doing okay, and my main job is to play tennis. I will be glad to represent maybe both.”

Natela Dzalamidze – Georgia (June 2022)

Widely seen as the first player to switch from Russian citizenship following the nation’s invasion of Ukraine, doubles specialist Dzalamidze began representing Georgia in 2022.

The move was significant at the time, coming just ahead of action at Wimbledon — which was the only tournament to ban Russian and Belarusian players from competing in 2022.

Dzalamidze, who has Georgian heritage, told The Times at the time that her decision was motivated by the possibility of representing Georgia at the Olympics.

She said: “My decision was made because I am focusing on my career and would like to have the chance to compete at the Olympic Games.

“The first discussion I had with the WTA was during Indian Wells at the beginning of March.

“If I made the decision to play for Georgia and have a chance to play Wimbledon, why not? At the moment I have my best ranking and my perspective is now much better in Georgia.”

The winner of three WTA doubles titles, Dzalamidze is currently inactive.

Read Next: 10 most lucrative WTA Tour prize money seasons: Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Serena Williams star