Russian tennis player Elina Avanesyan confirmed the change of sports citizenship. She announced this on her social networks.
“I am honored to announce that I have received Armenian citizenship and will proudly represent Armenia at the tournament in Cincinnati on Monday. This journey has been incredible. I am happy to have the opportunity to show my best qualities on the field and play for the homeland of my ancestors. Thank you everyone for your unwavering support!” — Avanesyan wrote.
In the updated version of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings on August 5, Avanesyan’s sports citizenship was changed from Russian to Armenian.
In June, Armenian Sports Minister Karen Giloyan announced that the Pyatigorsk-born athlete would compete on behalf of Armenia.
Avanesyan is ranked 58th in the WTA rankings. Last month, she reached her first career final in Iasi, Romania, but lost to Russian Mirra Andreeva. The meeting ended with the score 5:7, 7:5, 4:0. The match lasted 2 hours and 21 minutes.
In the summer of 2023, Avanesyan managed to reach the fourth round at the Roland Garros Grand Slam Tournament and entered the main draw as a “lucky loser”.
Former French tennis player guess Andreeva has a great future.
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Source: Gazeta
Gregory Robert is a sports aficionado and a writer for “Social Bites”. He provides in-depth coverage of the latest sporting events and trends, offering a unique and knowledgeable perspective on the world of sports.