Anastasia Potapova began her 2025 season at Brisbane International. Although her run ended in the Round of 16 there, the Russian WTA star showed signs of promise with a strong first-round victory against Tamara Zidanšek in the Australian Open. But it is not her backhand that is making waves. She is in the news currently for the troubles in her marriage with the Kazakhstani ATP star, Alexander Shevchenko. Once a golden couple of the tennis world, they seem to be going through a rocky phase. But have Potapova and Shevchenko really parted ways?

Potapova and Shevchenko’s romance began in 2022. By December of the following year, they got married in a close ceremony attended by friends and family. Even before they officially announced their relationship, the WTA star was seen dining with Shevchenko during the Miami Open and was later spotted cheering him on from his box as he faced Daniil Medvedev at the Madrid Open. Potapova and Shevchenko’s connection seemed solid, and their careers flourished with each other’s support. During this time, Potapova climbed to her career-high ranking of 21, while Shevchenko broke into the ATP’s list of top 50.

Reflecting on their early days, Potapova once shared her excitement about their partnership despite the challenges of tennis schedules. “Obviously, I didn’t know how it was going to work because scheduling in tennis is never easy. But somehow we’ve been able to manage it, and in fact, it’s like we’ve spent every week together and we see each other a lot, which is a very good thing,” she said in an interview with Baseline. Her words reflected her deep admiration and enthusiasm for Shevchenko during their relationship.

Their love story moved quite quickly. Just a month after going public, the Kazakhstani ATP star proposed to Potapova that later described as intimate and unexpected. “I’d come to see Sasha (Shevchenko) because he was in Germany, practicing for the tournament in Astana,” she shared with Tennis.com. “I thought I would just spend a few days with him, and so it was in the hotel room, with the ring under the pillow.” Although their story was like a fairy tale, their happiness was short-lived.

But the first whispers of the trouble emerged in September last year when their followers noticed Potapova and Shevchenko had unfollowed each other on IG and deleted their shared photos. Speculation swirled, but the Russian player eventually confirmed the split on her Telegram profile. “Hello everyone. This time I have not very positive news. Unfortunately, Alexander and I have decided to separate. That’s life. People come together and separate. We would like to keep the reasons for the divorce to ourselves. I kindly ask you not to ask us unnecessary questions on this topic and respect our decision. All the best and love! Your Nastya,” she wrote, putting an end to the rumors.

Despite the promising start to their relationship, the pressures of life and the demands of their careers seemed to take a toll. Within a year of marriage, Potapova and Shevchenko made the difficult decision to part ways. While the details remain private, Potapova’s heartfelt statement reflects her desire to move forward with grace: “That’s life. People come together and separate.”

Although Potapova and Shevchenko are no longer together, they have been supportive of each other’s careers always. The WTA star once revealed how grateful she is to have a supportive partner who also understands the demands of her professional life.

Anastasia Potapova once confessed how well Shevchenko supported her

Like other players, Potapova and Shevchenko also suffered from tennis’ hectic scheduling. However, the Russian believed that her husband made it bearable for her through his insights and knowledge about the sport. “It’s really helpful to have someone who can support you, not just on your team, but someone you’re close to. He’s someone who not only knows tennis but also wants what is best for you. Even if I play like shit, he’s still going to support me, so that’s very nice to have someone like this on the tour. He understands,” she said.

Potapova had known Shevchenko since they were kids. However, she confessed to not having enough scope for conversation. However, when they started connecting later, they instantly became inseparable. “I’ve known him since we were nine years old, but we never spent time together, hung out, or even spoke much. It was like we were always so close to each other but also so far away!” said Potapova.

The WTA star also claimed to spend a “calm” time with Shevchenko shedding light on their great equation. “I do think since getting married, there’s more of a calm in our relationship, where we have each other, we’re not rushing for anything, and we just try to help each other perform our best. It’s really helpful for an athlete to find someone who can relate to what you’re doing,” she said in an interview.

Despite so much love, Potapova and Shevchenko had to part ways. In this sensitive time, both the players will need their fans’ support.