Russian tennis star confirms she switched allegiance to Australia because she’s gay

Daria Kasatkina expressed feeling “emotional” after deciding to switch her allegiance from Russia to Australia, stating that she “didn't have much choice” following her public criticism of Russia’s LGBTQ+ laws and the war in Ukraine, according to ‘BBC’.

Kasatkina has been residing in Dubai and hasn’t returned to Russia for over two and a half years.

The 27-year-old recently had her application for permanent residency approved and will compete for Australia for the first time at this week’s Charleston Open in South Carolina.

“It's my first official day as an Australian player. Honestly, it feels different, I'm not going to lie. It's emotional for me,” said the world number 12.

“I have to get used to it. But I'm really happy to start this new chapter of my life representing Australia on the big stage.”

Kasatkina came out in a video interview in 2022 before leaving Russia, where LGBTQ+ rights are highly restricted, and criticised the war in Ukraine during the same interview, prompting a Russian politician to make an unsuccessful attempt to label her as a ‘foreign agent’ for acting against Russian interests.

Last year, she anticipated “consequences” as a result of her actions.

“With everything going on in my previous country, I didn't have much choice [to switch allegiance],” she stated to reporters on Monday.

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

“I have to get used to it a little bit, because for a couple of years I didn't hear anything. But it's something nice to get used to.”

Natela Dzalamidze and Alexander Shevchenko are other players born in Russia who have switched nationalities recently, now playing for Georgia and Kazakhstan respectively.