A women’s doubles player who was born in Moscow will be able to get around the ban on Russians at Wimbledon this year because she now represents the country of Georgia.
The 29-year-old Natela Dzalamidze is currently 44th in the doubles rankings. She is listed as being from Georgia on the WTA Tour website and in Wimbledon’s entry list for the tournament, which begins June 27.
Dzalamidze will play with partner Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia.
The All England Club announced in the spring a ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in this year’s tournament, preventing several top stars from entering the tournament.
The move was due to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. Belarus is considered a strong Russian ally and has helped Russia in its battle.
The decision drew the ire of the ATP and WTA Tours, which have allowed players to compete under a neutral flag. The tours stripped Wimbledon of its ranking points in retaliation.
