Daria Kasatkina, former Charleston Open champion, began her 2025 tournament and a new chapter representing Australia with a dominant 6-1, 6-1 victory over Lauren Davis in the second round.
Kasatkina had been competing as a neutral athlete since 2022 due to the restrictions on Russian and Belarusian players. Recently, she announced her permanent residency in Australia and will now compete under the Australian flag.
Before the Charleston Open, where she won her first WTA title in 2017, the 5th-seeded Kasatkina revealed that her sexual orientation was a key factor in her decision to switch allegiances. The Russian government`s 2023 designation of the `international LGBT movement` as `extremist` influenced her choice.
Kasatkina explained, “Given the situation in my previous country, I had limited options. Being openly gay, I needed to take this step to live authentically.”
World No. 12 Kasatkina dominated her first match as Australia`s top-ranked player, defeating Lauren Davis in just 61 minutes. She then cheerfully conducted an on-court interview with Andrew Krasny.
To Krasny, Kasatkina admitted, “I couldn`t stop smiling, even though I was nervous before the match. Stepping onto the court with a new flag and status was stressful. I had pre-match jitters, but I’m glad I managed them.”
Kasatkina`s smile widened as she thanked the applauding crowd and exchanged high-fives with Krasny for their support.
“It`s been a challenging few years, so I am truly happy to be here and feel this way,” she concluded.
Rupert Caldwell