Russian tennis star nationality to play at Wimbledon
At the French Open last month, Dzalamidze competed as a neutral athlete alongside her compatriot Kamilla Rakhimova
A Russian tennis player has circumvented Wimbledon’s ban on all competitors from her country by changing her nationality to Georgian before next week’s championships.
Natela Dzalamidze, a 29-year-old doubles player ranked No 44 in the world, will compete in the women’s doubles with Serbia’s Aleksandra Krunic after the sport’s authorities approved the switch in time for last week’s entry deadline. It is not known when her application was first made but insiders have told The Times that she satisfied the necessary requirements.
The All England Club announced on April 20 that all entries from Russia and Belarus would be declined this year because of the invasion of Ukraine. Its statement said that “it would be unacceptable for the Russian regime to derive any benefits from the involvement of Russian or Belarusian players with the championships”.
Some officials were concerned about the possibility of the Duchess of Cambridge, patron of the All England Club, having to present a Russian or Belarusian with the trophy.
A spokesman for the All England Club insisted that it had no involvement in Dzalamidze’s change of nationality. The verification process is conducted through the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and the International Tennis Federation (ITF), with the presentation of a valid passport from Georgia required.
As a result, the All England Club is effectively powerless to stop Dzalamidze from competing.
“Player nationality, defined as the flag they play under at professional events, is an agreed process that is governed by tours and the ITF,” the spokesman said.
Dzalamidze was born in Moscow on February 27, 1993. It is unclear from limited biographical information what her exact family connection is to Georgia but both her first name and surname are of Georgian origin. Last December she did her pre-season training in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine.
By competing in the women’s doubles, Dzalamidze is guaranteed prize money of at least £6,250, which would rise to £270,000 if she and Krunic were to win the tournament. It is possible that she could also enter the mixed doubles, which offers a cheque of £1,875 for those in the first round and £62,000 for each of the champions.
At the French Open last month, Dzalamidze competed as a neutral athlete alongside her compatriot Kamilla Rakhimova and lost in the first round. Since the start of March Russians and Belarusians have played on the tours with no reference to their nationality.
Dzalamidze, a former singles player who reached the rank of world No 245 in 2015, has reached new heights on the doubles circuit recently, claiming a career-high ranking of No 43 last month. She is a two-time winner on the main WTA tour and has claimed approximately £300,000 in prize money during her 13-year professional career. This year will be the third time she has appeared at Wimbledon.
