Georgian nationality change allows Russian-born Dzalamidze to play Wimbledon

Moscow-born Natela Dzalamidze will be able to compete at Wimbledon despite the ban on Russian and Belarusian players from this year’s championships after she changed her nationality to represent Georgia.

The 29-year-old is listed as a Georgian on the Wimbledon entry list for the women’s doubles, where she will partner Serbia’s Aleksandra Krunic. Her nationality is Georgian on the WTA Tour website.

In April, the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) banned Russian and Belarusian players from competing at Wimbledon due to the invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow calls a “special military operation”. Belarus has been a key staging area for the invasion.

The AELTC said that it has no involvement in the change of nationality of the players.

“The nationality of players, defined as the flag they play under in professional events, is an agreed process governed by the tours and the ITF,” an AELTC spokesman told OkeyNews in an email.

The WTA and ITF did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The grass-court Grand Slam, which begins June 27, has been stripped of its ranking points by the ATP and WTA Tours for their decision to exclude players from Russia and Belarus.

Earlier this month, the United States Tennis Association said Russian and Belarusian players could compete at the US Open this year under a neutral flag.