Daria Kasatkina, the former Russian world No 8, will compete in her first Australian Open as an Australian citizen this week, a milestone she described as 'unbelievable'. The 28-year-old, who prefers to be called Dasha, obtained citizenship after becoming a permanent resident in March, driven largely by the criminalisation and violence faced by the LGBTQ+ community in Russia. She now looks forward to playing in a 'home slam' for the first time.
Kasatkina has been adapting to the laid-back Australian lifestyle, noting how being late is often met with a relaxed 'take it easy, mate'. She finds the local culture of sport, where fans support local players wholeheartedly, 'beautiful' and energising. This contrast with her upbringing in Russia, where punctuality and formality were more emphasised, has been a welcome change.
After a gruelling season that saw her pull out of three major tournaments and her ranking slip, Kasatkina showed signs of returning to form with a victory over Maria Sakkari in Brisbane. She faces Czech teenager Nikola Bartůňková in the first round on Tuesday, and admits to battling nerves while playing in front of home crowds in Adelaide and Brisbane. 'I felt this energy and I really liked it,' she said.
Kasatkina has received support from Tennis Australia, with fitness coach Jona Segal joining her box alongside her partner, former figure skater Natalia Zabiiako, and coach Flavio Cipolla. She was also invited to join a WhatsApp group used by Australia's top women's players for communication and emotional support, a team spirit she initially found surprising but now appreciates. 'You're not jealous of the success of the other player,' she noted.
Despite changing allegiances, Kasatkina maintains friendships with players who retain ties to Russia, such as Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Mirra Andreeva, describing herself as someone who needs to talk and share. Her on-court game, which she calls 'creative', relies on outfoxing powerful opponents, but she says little about her style, simply hoping fans enjoy her matches.
