Former Top 10 player Daria Kasatkina made the surprise announcement Friday that she will soon begin representing Australia on the professional tennis tour, writing in a social media statement that her application for permanent residency has recently been granted.
“Australia is a place I love, is incredibly welcoming and a place where I feel totally at home,” Kasatkina wrote in a post on Instagram in a surprise announceent on Friday evening. “I love being in Melbourne and look forward to making my home there. As part of this, I am proud to announce that I will be representing my new homeland, Australia, in my professional tennis career from this point onwards.”
Russian and Belarusian tennis players, including Kasatkina, have played as neutral athletes, listed without a flag, since shortly after the Russian government’s decision to invade Ukraine, with Belarusian support, nearly three years ago. The 27-year-old has not returned to Russia in the last two-and-a-half years, following her decision to both come out as a lesbian and condemn her home nation’s invasion of its sovereign neighbor in an interview with a Russian vlogger in July of 2022.
“Obviously, there are parts of this decision that have not been easy,” Kasatkina continued. “I want to express my thanks and gratitude to my family, coaches, and everyone who has supported me throughout my tennis journey to date.”
