Nationality switch for tennis players is increasingly common. Nationality in tennis carries significant weight, and there are several reasons why some players change their allegiance from the country of their birth. And when it happens, it can have far-reaching implications for the player and the nations involved. It can spark a curious debate among fans and breed controversy in some cases. Here are the four players who chose to switch sides in 2025.
Four Tennis Players Switch Nationality in 2025
1. Daria Kasatkina (Russia to Australia)
Daria Kasatkina began representing Australia in late March. Her application for permanent residency was granted by the Australian Government, and she immediately became the country’s current top-ranked WTA player. Kasatkina, who was born in Russia, competed under a neutral flag for the past two and a half years. Before that, she had represented Russia with distinction.
2. Tyra Caterina Grant (USA to Italy)
Rising teenager Tyra Caterina Grant made the sensible but controversial decision to switch from the USA to Italy in May. Grant was born in Rome to an American father and Italian mother and spent most of her childhood in Italy, where she trained at the Piatti Tennis Centre. It is the same tennis academy where men’s World No. 1 Jannik Sinner honed his tennis skillset. Grant relocated to Florida just two years ago. She continued her tennis education at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, using that experience to win two Grand Slam doubles titles at the junior level. The 17-year-old requested a change of nationality this year, and a three-way communication between the youngster, the USTA, and the FITP (Italy’s tennis federation) reached a swift conclusion. The WTA approved the request at the start of the 2025 Italian Open.
3. Rebeka Masarova (Spain to Switzerland)
Rebeka Masarova is in her second stint wearing Swiss colors. Masarova was born in Basel, Switzerland, to a Spanish mother and a Slovakian father. She represented Switzerland at the start of her playing career in 2013 before switching to Spain in 2018, less than two years after winning the French Open junior title. After a disappointing 2024 season in which she lost 29 matches and was excluded from the country’s Billie Jean King Cup squad, Masarova decided to represent Switzerland for a second time. That change took effect at the start of this season.
4. Linda Klimovicova (Czechia to Poland)
Linda Klimovicoca was born in the Czech Republic, but lived and trained in Poland. She represented Czechia from 2018 until October 2024, when she obtained Polish citizenship. The 21-year-old WTA player now represents Poland at all levels. The decision was fueled by personal reasons, and reports indicate that there were no disputes with Czech tennis authorities.
Main Photo Credit: Robert Deutsch – USA TODAY Sports
