Overview
- Potapova announced on Instagram that the Austrian government approved her citizenship and that she will compete for Austria starting with the 2026 season.
- The 24-year-old, ranked No. 51, owns three WTA singles titles and previously reached a career-high of No. 21 in 2023.
- Russia has been excluded from official team events since 2022, a policy that has pushed some players to change national affiliation.
- Her move follows 2025 switches by Daria Kasatkina to Australia and by Maria Timofeeva and Kamilla Rakhimova to Uzbekistan.
- After playing a St. Petersburg exhibition, Potapova expressed hope Russia returns to team competitions, while Russian federation vice president Yevgeny Kafelnikov publicly dismissed her decision.