World No.
48 Alexander Schevchenko announced a change in his flag and will represent
Kazakhstan starting next week. The 23-year-old tennis player has competed under
a 'neutral' flag for the past two years due to allegations and sanctions
against Russia amid the war.
As he
revealed on social media, he will now compete for Kazakhstan, following in the
footsteps of
Elena Rybakina, Aleksander Bublik, and Yulia Putintseva, who were
born in Russia but received support from the Kazakh Tennis Federation in their
early careers, deciding to compete under the Kazakh flag.
With
Schevchenko's announcement, there is speculation about whether his wife,
Anastasia Potapova (world No. 27), will also join his decision since she
currently competes under a neutral flag. Schevchenko made the announcement on
social media, and starting Monday, he will appear with his new flag:
'Hi
everyone, just want to let everyone know that from next week on, I will
represent Kazakhstan on the court. I’m very proud about it and can’t wait to
step on the court, trying to make memorable moments for myself and the
country.'
It is
noteworthy that Schevchenko, unlike other tennis players who decided to
represent Kazakhstan, made this decision while already being part of the tennis
elite as a top-50 player. Others typically make such decisions at the beginning
of their tennis careers, seeking support and better opportunities for their
careers.
Recently,
the Vice President of the Kazakh Tennis Federation, Yuri Polsky, detailed that
Schevchenko approached them expressing his desire to represent Kazakhstan:
“He
receives a residence permit in Kazakhstan, we talked with him a long time ago.
Sasha [Alexander Shevchenko] wants to play for Kazakhstan,”
“Moreover,
[Shevchenko] has not lived in Russia for a long time; he is based in Europe. I
think that in the near future he will receive Kazakhstani citizenship and,
accordingly, will join our team,” the vice president said