Tennis Star Anastasia Potapova Reveals She and Fellow Tennis Player Alexander Shevchencko Divorced: 'We Had Problems'

Mar. 15, 2025

Anastasia Potapova and husband Alexander Shevchenko recreate scenes from the movie Roman Holiday on Day One of the Internazionali BNL D’Italia at Foro Italico on May 06, 2024 in Rome, Italy.Photo:Robert Prange/Getty

Robert Prange/Getty

A tennis romance has come to an end.Tennis player Anastasia Potapova revealed in a Wednesday, Jan. 29 interview withBolshethat she and fellow player Alexander Shevchencko divorced last year.Potapova, 23, and Shevchencko, 24, quietly ended their marriage at after the 2024 US Open in Septmeber, she said. The former couple, who both compete for Russia, began dating in 2022 and married the following year.“I really wish ‘Sasha’ — I can say it on camera, I’m not ashamed of these words — I really wish him all the best, and he deserves all the best,” Potapova said. “I wish him all the best with his career, as well, because he’s very talented and he has to keep working and developing as a player.”Anastasia Potapova (L) and Alexander Shevchenko (R), seen at a press conference of the North Palmyra Trophies - International Team Exhibition Tennis Tournament in KSK Arena, in the St. Petersburg, Russia.Maksim Konstantinov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty“But I guess we had problems. Some couples get over these problems, and some don’t. Unfortunately, we were one of the couples that didn’t,” she continued.Potapova, who is currently ranked 33rd in the world, further explained the breakdown of her marriage and the support she received from her family.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“I think I needed to put an end to it, to end things officially, so I wouldn’t get those questions anymore. I think that was the last step I needed to finally set myself free. I have incredible parents, who understand me the way I am,” she said.“They never judge me, never judge my choices: ‘Wedding? OK, we’ll have a wedding. Divorce? Sad, painful, but how we help you?’ Mum had a great relationship with Sasha; I hope she still does. She actually supported both me and Sasha, worked two jobs, so to speak, and I’m grateful to her for it,” Potapova added.The last few months of their marriage were difficult, she said, but she was able to perform on the court. “Despite everything, I clung onto the last bits of my sanity, walked out on the court and played matches, and I wasn’t even doing that bad."“Of course, this year wasn’t as successful as the previous one," she continued. “But considering the circumstances, this season gave me much more than any previous season of my life.”Potapova made it to the second round of the Australian Open earlier this month before losing in three hard-fought sets. Shevchenko, meanwhile, lost in the first round to world No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz.

A tennis romance has come to an end.

Tennis player Anastasia Potapova revealed in a Wednesday, Jan. 29 interview withBolshethat she and fellow player Alexander Shevchencko divorced last year.

Potapova, 23, and Shevchencko, 24, quietly ended their marriage at after the 2024 US Open in Septmeber, she said. The former couple, who both compete for Russia, began dating in 2022 and married the following year.

“I really wish ‘Sasha’ — I can say it on camera, I’m not ashamed of these words — I really wish him all the best, and he deserves all the best,” Potapova said. “I wish him all the best with his career, as well, because he’s very talented and he has to keep working and developing as a player.”

Anastasia Potapova (L) and Alexander Shevchenko (R), seen at a press conference of the North Palmyra Trophies - International Team Exhibition Tennis Tournament in KSK Arena, in the St. Petersburg, Russia.Maksim Konstantinov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty

Maksim Konstantinov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty

“But I guess we had problems. Some couples get over these problems, and some don’t. Unfortunately, we were one of the couples that didn’t,” she continued.

Potapova, who is currently ranked 33rd in the world, further explained the breakdown of her marriage and the support she received from her family.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“I think I needed to put an end to it, to end things officially, so I wouldn’t get those questions anymore. I think that was the last step I needed to finally set myself free. I have incredible parents, who understand me the way I am,” she said.

“They never judge me, never judge my choices: ‘Wedding? OK, we’ll have a wedding. Divorce? Sad, painful, but how we help you?’ Mum had a great relationship with Sasha; I hope she still does. She actually supported both me and Sasha, worked two jobs, so to speak, and I’m grateful to her for it,” Potapova added.

The last few months of their marriage were difficult, she said, but she was able to perform on the court. “Despite everything, I clung onto the last bits of my sanity, walked out on the court and played matches, and I wasn’t even doing that bad.”

“Of course, this year wasn’t as successful as the previous one," she continued. “But considering the circumstances, this season gave me much more than any previous season of my life.”

Potapova made it to the second round of the Australian Open earlier this month before losing in three hard-fought sets. Shevchenko, meanwhile, lost in the first round to world No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz.

source: people.com