'Who Cares About Posts?': Russian Potapova Defends Austria Switch At AO2026

Anastasia Potapova has brushed aside criticism over the wording of her nationality switch announcement, insisting there was nothing wrong with borrowing what she called “perfect words”.

The world number

55 officially changed her international allegiance from Russia to Austria in December, but her social media post quickly drew attention for its striking similarity to Daria Kasatkina’s announcement earlier this year, when the fellow Russian-born player began representing Australia.

Potapova described Austria as “a place I love, is incredibly welcoming and a place where I feel totally at home” — the exact phrasing Kasatkina used when announcing her switch in March. The parallels sparked debate online, prompting Kasatkina herself to respond on X, joking: “no, we are not from same agency.”

Asked about the reaction at the Australian Open, Potapova was unapologetic.

“I don’t find anything wrong with that because you cannot say it in a better way,” she told reporters. “Why not? It was perfect words. I loved it, my team loved it, everyone loved it — so we gave it a shot.”

The 24-year-old suggested the backlash had been overblown.

“I don’t think something terrible happened,” she said. “I think the media just blew it up because they didn’t like the fact that it happening. I mean, who cares about posts, right?”

Potapova was speaking after coming from a set down to defeat Suzan Lamens 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 in the first round. She will next face Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, in round two.

Like several Russian and Belarusian players, Potapova had competed as a neutral athlete since 2022, following bans on competing under national flags after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

She joins a growing list of Russian-born players to change nationality in recent years, including Kasatkina, Elena Rybakina (Kazakhstan), Kamilla Rakhimova (Uzbekistan) and Polina Kudermetova (Uzbekistan).

For Potapova, the message is simple: the words fit, and the flag now follows.

(with Reuters inputs)