Russian-born tennis player Blinkova switches allegiance to France
World No. 94 Anna Blinkova has announced she will no longer compete under neutral status, becoming the tenth women's tennis player in the top 155 to switch national representation.
Russian-born tennis player Anna Blinkova, 28, has announced she will now represent France in international competition instead of playing under a neutral flag. She shared the news on Instagram.
Blinkova currently sits at No. 94 in the world rankings, having reached a career-high of No. 34. Her best Grand Slam results are four third-round finishes.
The player has lived and trained in France for many years, based in Cannes, and speaks French fluently. In her Instagram post, she said that after years split between her adopted city and tournaments abroad, France had become more than just a training base — it had become her country. She expressed pride at being able to represent France on the world stage and thanked those who supported her along the way.
A growing trend among players
With Blinkova's move, ten women's tennis players ranked in the top 155 have now given up neutral status in a similar manner, while nine players from the main aggressor country remain listed under that designation. Others who previously switched flags include Anastasia Potapova (Austria), Daria Kasatkina (Australia), Maria Timofeeva and Polina Kudermetova (both now representing Uzbekistan), and several more now playing for Spain, Armenia or France.
Most of these players reportedly completed the paperwork for their transfer quietly before making any public announcement, likely to avoid public scrutiny or pressure. The trend extends to lower-ranked players as well: Kseniia Efremova has represented France for three years, while Alisa Oktiabreva became a Czech player this summer.
