Overview
- Uzbekistan’s tennis federation confirmed Polina Kudermetova will represent the country after her WTA and ITF profiles changed, and she has not issued a public statement.
- Her move follows recent switches by Kamilla Rakhimova to Uzbekistan and Anastasia Potapova to Austria, with Maria Timofeeva joining Uzbekistan earlier and Daria Kasatkina opting for Australia in March.
- Russian Tennis Federation president Shamil Tarpischev linked recent changes to players seeking better chances for the 2028 Olympics and national-team selection, citing typical top‑60/70 ranking thresholds.
- The Kazakhstan Tennis Federation rejected Tarpischev’s claim that Elena Rybakina lives in Moscow or holds Russian status, stating she is a Kazakh citizen with a passport and registration in Astana.
- Former world No. 1 Yevgeny Kafelnikov said Kudermetova’s switch is not a loss for Russian tennis and suggested a personal connection to Uzbekistan influenced her decision.