Daria Kasatkina looks ahead to new chapter under Australian flag

CHARLESTON – Russia-born Daria Kasatkina said she was “emotional” and excited to begin a fresh chapter in her career under the Australian flag at the ongoing Charleston Open, after being granted permanent residency last week.

The 27-year-old has been playing on the WTA Tour as a neutral athlete after Russian and Belarusian players were banned from competing under their own flags following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, for which Belarus has been a staging ground.

“It’s my first official day as an Australian player,” said Kasatkina, who dipped into Australian colloquialism and referred to reporters in Charleston as “mates” on March 31.

“Honestly, it feels different, I’m not going to lie. It’s emotional for me. I have to get used to it. But I’m really happy to start this new chapter of my life representing Australia on the big stage.”

Kasatkina, who was born in the western Russian city of Tolyatti, has not returned to the country in more than two years after coming out as gay and being one of the few players to have publicly spoken out against the war.

Russia has designated the LGBT movement as extremist and those supporting it as terrorists, paving the way for serious criminal cases against LGBT people and their advocates. World No. 12 Kasatkina, who lives in Dubai and trains in Spain, now plans to make Melbourne her home.

“With everything going on in my previous country, I didn’t have much choice. For me, being openly gay, if I want to be myself, I have to make this step, and I did it,” she added about her decision to switch her nationality.

“Australia is the place where I feel that I can be myself and I really am really happy to have this privilege to be part of this beautiful