WTA player Kamilla Rakhimova has officially announced her switch from representing Russia to Uzbekistan. This decision marks a significant moment in her career as she aligns with the country of her mother, who was a junior tennis player for Uzbekistan. Rakhimova’s change comes amid a wave of similar nationality shifts among tennis players in 2025.
The 24-year-old has competed on the WTA circuit since 2019 and has reached a career-high ranking of world number 60. Currently ranked 112, Rakhimova has showcased her talent through notable victories, including wins over top players such as Jasmine Paolini at Wimbledon and fellow competitors Mirra Andreeva and Ekaterina Alexandrova.
Significance of Rakhimova’s Switch
The switch has been welcomed by the Tennis Federation of Uzbekistan (FTU). Secretary General Sador Kamilov emphasized the historic significance of Rakhimova joining the national team. “She has already proven herself to be a strong, competitive tennis player capable of playing on equal terms with the world’s top players,” Kamilov stated on the FTU website. He expressed confidence in her potential to achieve great victories and set new records for Uzbekistan.
Rakhimova’s accomplishments include winning her first major singles title at the WTA 125 event in Guadalajara last year and three WTA doubles titles. Earlier this year, she reached the quarterfinals of the women’s doubles at the Australian Open, positioning her on the verge of breaking into the top 50 in the doubles rankings.
Uzbekistan’s Tennis Landscape
With Rakhimova’s transition, she automatically becomes Uzbekistan’s number one active player, surpassing Mario Timofeeva and Laima Vladson in the rankings. Yet, she is still striving to match the legacy of Iroda Tulyaganova, who reached a career-high ranking of world number 16 in 2002 and won three WTA singles titles, along with a gold medal at the Asian Games that same year.
In terms of male representation, the highest-ranked ATP player from Uzbekistan remains Denis Istomin, who achieved a peak ranking of world number 33 in 2012. Currently, no male player approaches Istomin’s record, with Sergey Fomin as the top-ranked Uzbekistani man at world number 345.
As Rakhimova steps into this new chapter of her career, the tennis community will undoubtedly watch her journey as she seeks to make her mark under the Uzbekistan flag.
