Can't believe I missed this the first time. Yaroslava Shvedova, who was born in Russia, on her Kazakhstani citizenship:
Q. When did you move to Kazakhstan?
YAROSLAVA SHVEDOVA: I was thinking like last year, like to move somewhere because I was like coming up and start to improving my game. In Russia was difficult to practice, difficult, because I was like 15 in the country in the WTA ranking, and it was like Federation didn't help. I don't have opportunity to play Fed Cups, maybe Olympics.
Kazakhstan like came to me and ask me if I want to represent Kazakhstan. I said, Yeah, why not? Because I always wanted to represent a country and play Olympics, play Fed Cups, because I love team competitions. And I was like so happy for my change.
Q. Do you have ties to Kazakhstan otherwise? Do you have a connection to Kazakhstan before?
YAROSLAVA SHVEDOVA: No. Because I born in USSR, it was one country before. They have like international rule when country splits, it's mean like if you born in previous country, you become like resident of each parts was split, and you can change your passport.
Because I born in Moscow, I just become Russian. So I had the chance to change once, like Likhovtseva, she was born in Kazakhstan, she changed her passport to Russian. It was like before.
I'm not entirely sure why I'm so amused by this. So it goes.
