Latest Russian player to change nationality gets blunt reaction from two-time Slam winner

Ewan West 17 Dec 2025 4:00 PM

Polina Kudermetova and Yevgeny Kafelnikov

Polina Kudermetova with Yevgeny Kafelnikov inset

Russian tennis great Yevgeny Kafelnikov has issued a blunt reaction after Polina Kudermetova became the latest Russian tennis player to change nationality.

It emerged on Sunday that Kudermetova had started representing Uzbekistan as her profiles on the WTA and ITF websites were updated to display her nationality as Uzbek.

Kudermetova, who was born in Moscow in June 2003, had competed for Russia since making her professional debut in 2018.

The 22-year-old finished the 2025 season as the world No 104 having reached her career-high ranking of 54th in April this year.

She is the younger sister of 28-year-old WTA Tour star Veronika Kudermetova, a former world No 9 who is currently ranked 30th.

Kudermetova is yet to comment on her decision to begin competing for Uzbekistan.

Kafelnikov, a former world No 1 and two-time Grand Slam champion, has claimed Kudermetova’s citizenship change “won’t affect Russia in any way.”

“Only the president of our federation, Shamil Tarpischev, can officially announce Polina Kudermetova’s transfer to the Uzbek flag,” Kafelnikov said in an interview with Russian website Sport24.

“I personally know that Polina’s boyfriend is an Uzbek citizen. He’s the one who got her involved; it’s a completely normal practice.

“I don’t consider Kudermetova’s departure a loss for our tennis. She made her decision, and it won’t affect Russia in any way. What kind of athlete will she be remembered as? I can’t even comment on that.”

During a career spanning from 1992 to 2003, Kafelnikov won 26 singles titles, including the 1996 French Open, the 1999 Australian Open, and the Olympic gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

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Kudermetova is the fifth Russian WTA player to change their sporting nationality this year, after Daria Kasatkina, Maria Timofeeva, Kamila Rakhimova and Anastasia Potapova.

Potapova and Rakhimova made the move earlier this month, following Timofeeva in October and Kasatkina in March.

Kudermetova has joined both Rakhimova and Timofeeva by switching to Uzbekistan, while Kasatkina now competes for Australia and Potapova represents Austria.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine started in February 2022, Kudermetova is the 10th Russian player across the WTA and ATP tours to change citizenship.

Tennis players from both Russia and Belarus (a Russian ally) have been unable to compete under the Russian flag, instead playing as neutral athletes, since the war began.

What has Yevgeny Kafelnikov said about other Russian players who have changed nationality?

Earlier this month, Kafelnikov said “good riddance” to world No 50 Potapova as he commented on the 24-year-old’s switch to Austria.

“I take no pleasure in commenting on this news. Give some sort of verdict on this topic? I don’t need to,” he told Russia’s Sport-Express.

“She changed [nationality], fine — what am I supposed to do now, cry about it? A strong athlete? What has she ever won for Russia? You won’t say, and I won’t either. So good riddance.”