Latest Russian tennis player changes sporting nationality as notable trend continues
WTA Tour player Polina Kudermetova has become the latest Russian to change her sporting nationality, following a string of other players who have made a similar decision in recent months.
Unlike in several other sports, Russian and Belarusian tennis players have not been banned from competing on the ATP and WTA Tours since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with Wimbledon in 2022 the only event to deny participation.
However, players from both nations have been forced to compete as neutral athletes since February 2022, and a notable string of Russian players have now changed citizenship.
The most high-profile player to change nationality is WTA player Daria Kasatkina, a former world No 8 and 2022 French Open semi-finalist.
A winner of eight WTA Tour titles, Kasatkina — who is openly gay and has spoken out on Russia’s strict anti-LBGTQ+ laws, and against the ongoing conflict in Ukraine — revealed in March 2025 that she would now represent Australia.
A string of players have since followed suit, with Maria Timofeeva beginning to represent Uzbekistan in October 2025, before Kamilla Rakhimova also changed to Uzbeki citizenship in December 2025.
Anastasia Potapova confirmed she would begin representing Austria earlier this month, and Kudermetova is now the 10th player to stop representing Russia since February 2022.
The 22-year-old did not announce her change of citizenship and has yet to publicly comment on it, though her official profiles on both the WTA Tour and ITF websites have updated her tennis nationality to Uzbekistan.
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Who is Polina Kudermetova?
Kudermetova has broken into the consciousness of many within tennis over the past twelve months, following in the footsteps of her older sister, Veronika.
Born in June 2003, the 22-year-old came through qualifying to make her Grand Slam main draw debut at the 2023 Australian Open, though she did not make another major main draw appearance for two years.
Kudermetova returned to the main draw of the Australian Open in 2025 and also made her French Open and Wimbledon debuts this past year, most notably losing to eventual champion Iga Swiatek in opening-round action at the All England Club.
She picked up her first major main draw win after Nuria Párrizas Díaz retired after just four games at the US Open, ultimately falling to top seed and eventual champion Aryna Sabalenka in round two.
However, arguably the standout result of her career came at the 2025 Brisbane International in January, coming through qualifying to reach her first tour-level final.
Kudermetova knocked out 13th seed Liudmilla Samsonova and third seed Kasatkina on her way to the final, where she fell to Sabalenka in three sets at the WTA 500 event.
The 22-year-old reached her career-high of 54th in the WTA Rankings in April 2025, though she is now back down at 104th in the rankings.
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