Daria Kasatkina, the world’s No. 12 women’s tennis player, has officially switched her sporting allegiance from Russia to Australia after securing permanent residency. This decision marks a significant chapter in her career, as she will now represent Australia on the professional tennis circuit.
Kasatkina has been competing as a neutral athlete since the ban on Russian and Belarusian players using their national flags, a consequence of the geopolitical situation following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. She has not returned to Russia since publicly coming out as gay in a video interview the same year. She also voiced her opposition to the war, a stance that has made it unsafe for her to return to her home country.
In an announcement shared on social media, Kasatkina expressed her excitement about her new status, revealing her plans to settle in Melbourne. She described Australia as a welcoming place where she feels at home. In her statement, she acknowledged the challenges of making this transition but conveyed her gratitude to her supporters, family, and coaches. While she maintains respect for her origins, she emphasized her enthusiasm for embracing this new opportunity under the Australian flag.
Her decision to switch national representation follows the path of other tennis players who have chosen to represent Australia after initially competing for other countries. With her ranking, she now becomes Australia’s top female player and the highest-ranked representative since the retirement of Ash Barty.
Kasatkina has had an impressive career, reaching a peak ranking of No. 8 and winning eight WTA titles. Her best Grand Slam performance came at the French Open, where she reached the semi-finals in 2022. She has also been a quarter-finalist at Wimbledon and a fourth-round competitor at the US Open on two occasions. Earlier this year, she achieved her best Australian Open result, making it to the fourth round.
With her switch, she now leads the pack of Australian women’s tennis players in the rankings, surpassing Kim Birrell, Maya Joint, Ajla Tomljanovic, Olivia Gadecki, and Daria Saville. Her presence is expected to strengthen Australian women’s tennis, bringing experience and skill to the nation’s representation on the global stage.
Kasatkina previously played a key role in Russia’s success in the Billie Jean King Cup (formerly the Federation Cup), contributing to the team’s victories in 2020 and 2021. Now, she looks forward to competing for her new home country, aiming to make a lasting impact while continuing her professional journey in an environment where she feels secure and supported.
