SEVILLE, Spain (AP) Alex Bogomolov Jr. will play for Russia instead of the United States after the International Tennis Federation approved the switch Thursday.
Bogomolov, born in Moscow, has represented the U.S. since turning professional in 2002 but has never played at senior level in the Davis Cup.
A Davis Cup Committee decided Bogomolov's case met 2012 regulations allowing national federations three months instead of six before a match to submit a request for a player of dual nationality to represent the country.
Russia submitted a request in October, meaning Bogomolov is eligible to play in the first round of the Davis Cup against Austria from Feb. 10-12.
Bogomolov is listed by the ATP as Russia's top-ranked player at No. 34, one spot ahead of Nikolay Davydenko. He was the fourth-ranked American.
ATP players recently voted Bogomolov as most improved tour player after he rose from No. 166 at the end of 2010 to a career-high No. 33 in November.
His father, Alex Bogomolov, is a renowned tennis coach in the former Soviet Union, who coached Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Andrei Medvedev among others.
Bogomolov Jr. was born in Moscow but moved to Mexico with his family when he was 9 and then to Florida in 1992. He is still based in Boca Raton.
Bogomolov could now play for Russia at the 2012 Olympics, but that would also require approval from the ITF.
The Davis Cup Committee met Thursday in Seville, which is hosting the Davis Cup final between Spain and Argentina beginning Friday.