Openly gay Russian tennis star Daria Kasatkina admits she had “no choice” but to leave Russia for Australia

Russia-born tennis star Daria Kasatkina, who came out in 2022, has spoken about her decision to switch nationalities and start professionally representing Australia, admitting she had “no choice” but to leave Russia because she is openly gay.

Speaking about her decision, Kasatkina, who is in a relationship with Russian-Estonian figure skater Natalia Zabiiako, said: “I’m really happy to start this new chapter of my life representing Australia on the big stage.”

Kasatkina’s decision to leave Russia didn’t come as much of a surprise. As well as being openly gay, she has publicly condemned the country’s actions in the war against Ukraine.

In 2023, she revealed she had not returned to her birth nation since before the war began more than a year earlier.

But the 27-year-old has now explained that it was her sexuality that was the driving force behind her decision to switch nationalities. She continued: “With everything going on in my previous country, I didn’t have much choice.

“For me, being openly-gay, if I want to be myself, I have to make this step, and I did it.

“Australia is the place where I feel that I can be myself and I really am really happy to have this privilege to be part of this beautiful country.

“I think it’s obvious to say that Australia is a very welcoming country, very open-minded. “I mean, everyone is welcome there.

“And as I said, Tennis Australia, they also made this step forward to me. We, together, worked through this process and stuff. And of course, without their support and initiative, I don’t think this would be possible.”

Kasatkina will start life as an Australian tennis player at WTA 500 event, the Charleston Open, on Wednesday, April 2.