Russian born No.12 Daria Kasatkina to play for Australia on WTA Tour
Russian-born tennis star Daria Kasatkina will now play for Australia on the WTA Tour, the world No.12 confirmed on social media.
Kasatkina had her application for permanent residency accepted by the government and has been playing on the tour as a neutral athlete since Russian and Belarusian players were banned from competing under their own flags following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
"I am delighted to let you all know that my application for permanent residency has been accepted by the Australian government," she said.
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"Australia is a place I love, is incredibly welcoming and a place where I feel totally at home.
"I love being in Melbourne and look forward to making my home there.
Daria Kasatkina will now play for Australia. AP
"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."
In 2022, Kasatkina revealed she is gay in a video interview and left Russia, which has strict laws on LGBTQ+ rights.
In the same interview she also criticised Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which led to an unsuccessful attempt by a Russian politician to call for her to be listed as a "foreign agent".
Speaking in 2024, Kasatkina said she expected "consequences" for expressing her opinion.
"I will always have respect and fond appreciation for my roots, but I am thrilled to start this new chapter in my career and my life under the Australian flag," she added in her statement. "Thank you all for your understanding and continued support."
