Aljaz Bedene has confirmed he will revert to competing for Slovenia in a bid to achieve his dream of playing in the Davis Cup and the Olympic Games.
The 28-year-old, born in Ljubljana, was granted British citizenship in 2015 in a bid to represent Great Britain.
However, he was banned by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) from featuring for GB at the Davis Cup, and suggested back in May that such a decision could prompt him to play under the Slovenian flag once more.
On Friday, the world number 49 and British number two announced via an official statement that the prospect of representing his country of birth in the Davis Cup, as well as featuring at Tokyo 2020, was too large a draw to ignore.
"Hi everyone, I want to share with you that I have informed the ITF of my intention to represent Slovenia, my country of birth, from the 1st January 2018," he posted on Facebook .
"One of my main goals for my career going forward will be to play for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. I have proudly called Britain my home for the last 9 years and so many people there have made me feel welcome both in the UK and abroad.
"I am also particularly grateful for the support the LTA have shown me in that time and in fighting my case for the GB Davis Cup eligibility. It was a dream of mine to be able to compete for a country that has given me so much in the Davis Cup.
"At this stage in my career, I do not want to miss the opportunity to compete in the Davis Cup and the Olympics, two events that mean so much to me and that is what has informed my decision.
"This has not been easy and again I would like to thank everyone for their support. I look forward to seeing all my friends and fans on Tour next year."
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