Daria Kasatkina acknowledged that the week had been both stressful and somewhat unusual, but she was thrilled to kick off her journey as an Australian player with a victory at the Charlestown Open.
In a significant announcement, Kasatkina revealed she will now compete for Australia after spending time on the tour as a neutral athlete due to the ban on Russian and Belarusian players from competing under their own flags.
The crowd warmly welcomed the Russian-born player, with tournament organisers enhancing the atmosphere by playing the Men at Work classic “Down Under” following her impressive 6-1, 6-1 win over American local favourite Lauren Davis.
Reflecting on her experience, Kasatkina expressed her emotions at being introduced as an Australian for the very first time as she stepped onto the court.
“It actually happened twice: when I walked onto the court and during the warm-up. I couldn’t help but smile,” she remarked.
“This is a new chapter for me. Stepping onto the court today as an Aussie was genuinely stressful, to be honest.
“It’s a really special moment to claim my first win as an Australian. I’m just so happy and can’t believe that something like this could happen in my life.”
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In 2023, Kasatkina shared that she had fled Russia because she did not feel safe “as a gay person opposed to the war.”
Three years ago, she made her relationship with Russian Olympic figure skater Natalia Zabiiako public and has since been residing in Spain and Dubai.
During this period, she has also been an outspoken critic of Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
Daria Kasatkina of Australia celebrates her triumph over Lauren Davis. Getty
When asked about the source of her stress, Kasatkina couldn’t help but laugh during her post-match interview with Tennis Channel: “Guess, mate!
“This week has been a bit overwhelming with all the changes and feedback. When a tennis player steps onto the court, all the stress they’ve been carrying tends to come pouring out.
“That’s just how it goes. I’m genuinely pleased with how I managed that today because it wasn’t easy.”
The 27-year-old, who reached the semi-finals at the French Open in 2022, currently ranks 12th in the world.
She has achieved a career-high ranking of eighth and boasts eight WTA singles titles.
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