Potapova: Austria’s 2028 Tennis Hope?

So Anastasia Potapova has been Austrian for a few days. However, she will probably not be allowed to play for the red-white-red national team until 2028.

Yes, Jürgen Melzer was also surprised that Anastasia Potapova now has an Austrian passport. Potapova announced this on Instagram a few days ago. Since then, Melzer’s phone hasn’t stopped. Because currently, as number 51 in the world, the 24-year-old would clearly be the best option for the Austrian Billie Jean King Cup team.

The catch (as Der Standard already reported): Anastasia Potapova will not be allowed to play for Austria before 2028. And one could now cheekily ask whether it would even be enough to reach the top position in Marion Masurka’s team. Because in three years a player like Lilli Tagger could be among the 50 best WTA professionals if her career progresses somewhat linearly.

Potapova back to Linz as a “local hero”?

The exact reasons for the change of nation are not yet known. But of course it is currently easier to travel with an EU passport than with a Russian one. However, Anastasia Potapova doesn’t have much connection to Austria. She was married for a few months to Alexander Shevchenko, who trained with Günter Bresnik from the age of nine. And he moved to Vienna with his mother. Potapova’s center of life, if that can be said of a tennis professional, is in Dubai.

After all: Potapova has good sporting memories with Austria. Because one of her three tournament victories took place in Linz. If she also starts there in 2026, then as the fourth “local hero”. Sinja Kraus, Julia Grabher and Lilli Tagger have already been announced as starters for the WTA Tour 500 tournament in the Linz Design Center.