Asger Risom
Top-ranked tennis player cites LGBTQ rights and political pressure behind her decision to change citizenship
Daria Kasatkina, ranked 12th in the world by the WTA, officially began a new chapter in her career this week — not just on the court, but also under a new flag. The Russian-born tennis star is now competing for Australia, a move she says was necessary to live authentically and safely.
In a statement made during the Charleston Open, where she debuted under the Australian flag, Kasatkina said, “It’s my first official day as an Australian player. Honestly, it feels different — I’m not going to lie. It’s emotional. But I’m really happy to start this new chapter representing Australia on the big stage,” as reported by Golazo.
A personal and political decision
The 27-year-old has not returned to Russia in over two years. Her decision to publicly come out as gay in 2022 and to criticize her country’s invasion of Ukraine placed her at odds with the Russian regime — a government that has increasingly cracked down on LGBTQ rights. In recent months, Russia declared the LGBTQ movement “extremist,” labeling supporters as “terrorists,” a designation that opens the door for severe criminal prosecution.
“Considering everything happening in my previous country, I didn’t really have a choice,” Kasatkina said. “For me, being openly gay — if I want to be myself — I had to take this step, and I did.”
Kasatkina, who currently lives in Dubai and trains in Spain, plans to make Melbourne her permanent home. Her switch comes after receiving permanent residency in Australia last week. While she had been competing as a neutral athlete due to international sanctions placed on Russian and Belarusian athletes, her new status officially aligns her with the Australian tennis federation.
A new flag, a familiar fight
Kasatkina’s move is about more than sport. It’s a powerful statement in a time when athletes from authoritarian regimes often face repercussions for expressing dissent. In Russia, where the state silences LGBTQ voices and penalizes opposition to the war in Ukraine, her defection carries deep personal and political meaning.
The 2017 Charleston champion received a first-round bye and will face either Lauren Davis or Jamie Loeb in the second round — this time, not as a neutral player, but proudly under the Australian banner.