Moscow-born Polina Kudermetova has become the third Russian WTA player in just two months to switch her sporting nationality to Uzbekistan, following world No. 143 Maria Timofeeva and world No. 97 Kamilla Rakhimova.
For a country whose current WTA representatives have largely been ranked outside the Top 1000, Uzbekistan is making a clear statement of intent by rapidly strengthening its women’s tennis presence through the addition of established tour players.
Against the backdrop of ongoing political circumstances, nationality changes have emerged as an increasingly attractive option for Russian athletes, and Kudermetova is the latest to make the move. The 22-year-old is currently ranked No. 104 in the world, giving Uzbekistan an immediate and significant boost. Her older sister, world No. 30 Veronika Kudermetova, a former Top 10 player and 2022 French Open quarterfinalist, continues to represent Russia.
After building momentum on the lower-tier circuit, Polina produced a breakthrough performance at the WTA 500 tournament in Brisbane at the start of the 2025 season, reaching the final as a qualifier. In a remarkable run, she even took the opening set off world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka before ultimately falling in three sets. Later in the season, Polina climbed to a career-high ranking of No. 54 and secured her first Grand Slam main-draw victory at the US Open. (photo: Jimmie48)
