Skipping a ban and doing it in a completely legal and legitimate way is not easy, but that is what he has achieved Natela Dzalamidzea top-50 doubles ranking who has placed herself in the media spotlight of world tennis by having become a Georgian national to be able to play Wimbledon 2022. Born and raised in Russia, this 29-year-old woman saw how her tennis career could experience a brake due to the geopolitical situation in her country and the prohibition to compete in the London Grand Slam; for a stunt specialist, it is a matter of survival to compete in the four majors, otherwise it becomes very difficult to make this profession economically viable, so she explored all the possibilities on the table and ended up winning her particular war, as recounted in TheTimes.
With a Georgian father, much of the ground has been paved for Natela to quickly obtain Georgian nationality and therefore go to All England Lawn Tennis Club. She already had dual citizenship, so she only had to present all the relevant documents to the WTA to be allowed to compete under the flag of her father’s country, losing her Russian nationality. “I made this decision because I want to focus on my professional career and my priority would be to play some Olympic Games. I started the paperwork in Indian Wells and I feel that I am facing a great opportunity. I am in the best moment of my career and Georgia offers me very positive prospects,” said a woman who is the first tennis player to openly criticize the war against Ukraine and make a decision of this depth.
Dzalamidze tries to get away from controversies at the political level
“I am totally against what is happening in Ukraine. I feel very sorry for all the Russian athletes who cannot compete, I feel that sport should be separated from politics and it seems unfair to me that people who have not done anything are banned. bad, to carry out his profession. I have many ties with Ukraine and I hope that everything will be solved. I get the feeling that they are waiting for us Russian athletes to pronounce ourselves, but we cannot influence the situation in any way, “said one Natela Dzalamidze that she wants to get away from controversial politics and focus on a professional career that is exciting for her at the moment.
