It has been revealed when Elina Avanesyan will be able to represent the Armenian national team

The Armenian women's national tennis team is participating in the 2025 Billie Jean King Cup. The team came close to advancing to Group II but lost to Finland in the playoffs, significantly lowering their chances of promotion. The Armenians now face a final match against Moldova.

This year, top-level tennis player Elina Avanesyan, who switched her sporting citizenship from Russian to Armenian in 2024, was unable to play for Armenia.

Arthur Soghomonyan, the father of national team member Alina Soghomonyan, told Sportaran.com when Elina will be eligible to represent Armenia:

“There’s a rule in tennis: if an athlete has already played for another national team, she cannot participate in the Billie Jean King Cup for two years. Starting next year, Elina will be able to compete for Armenia. Naturally, she will strengthen the team,” said Soghomonyan.

Thus, Elina Avanesyan will be eligible to represent Armenia in the next edition of the Billie Jean King Cup. Her participation could potentially help the team earn promotion.

Participation in this tournament is especially important for Avanesyan, who is ranked 48th in the WTA rankings. To qualify for the 2028 Olympic Games, Elina must participate (or at least be listed) in at least three editions of the Billie Jean King Cup — in 2026, 2027, and 2028. Additionally, she must be ranked within the WTA top 100.

If all conditions are met, Elina Avanesyan could become the first Armenian female tennis player to compete at the Olympics. Previously, only men represented Armenia in Olympic tennis — Artur Sargsyan took part in three consecutive Games: 1996, 2000, and 2004, and also played for the Armenian team in the Davis Cup.