Daria Kasatkina, the Russian-born tennis star, has announced her transition to representing Australia after being granted permanent residency. The 27-year-old, who is currently competing at the Charleston Open, expressed her excitement and emotions regarding this significant change. “It’s my first official day as an Australian player,” Kasatkina remarked during the tournament, emphasizing the emotional weight of her decision. She has been playing as a neutral athlete since the bans imposed on Russian and Belarusian players post the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Born in Tolyatti, Kasatkina has not returned to Russia in over two years and has been vocal about her experiences as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. With Russia enforcing strict laws against LGBTQ+ rights and declaring the community as extremist, Kasatkina noted that her decision stemmed from a lack of choices in her previous environment. “With everything going on in my previous country, I didn’t have much choice,” she stated. “For me, being openly gay, if I want to be myself, I have to make this step, and I did it.” BBC

Kasatkina, currently ranked world number 12, emphasized her need to adapt to representing a new country. Her first match as an Australian competitor will be against either Lauren Davis or Jamie Loeb in the second round of the Charleston Open. “I have to get used to it a little bit,” she admitted, reflecting on the significant change she has embraced in her career.

As one of the few openly gay athletes in professional tennis, Kasatkina’s switch is part of a broader trend of athletes seeking refuge in more welcoming nations, similar to other players like Natela Dzalamidze and Alexander Shevchenko, who have also changed their national allegiances. Kasatkina continues to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, raising awareness of the challenges faced by athletes in oppressive environments. For further details, see Reuters and Channel News Asia.