Who is Daria Kasatkina, the tennis player of Russian origin who should represent Australia – Firstpost

Daria Kasatkina is ready for a new start in his life, with the tennis player of Russian origin who should represent Australia in the future after having changed allegiances. The 27-year-old woman has been playing as a neutral athlete since Russian and Belarusian players have been prohibited from competing under their own flags after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. These days, however, are finished for Kasatkina, the Australian government accepting her request for permanent residence.

In an Instagram position on Friday, Kasatkina said she was delighted to have obtained a permanent residence in Australia. Tennis Australia later confirmed that she was now Australian citizen and would represent Australia.

“I am delighted to let you know that my request for permanent residence was accepted by the Australian government,” said Kasatkina. “Australia is a place that I like, is incredibly welcoming and a place where I feel completely at home.

“I love being in Melbourne and I can’t wait to make my house there.

Who is Daria Kasatkina? And why did she choose to break her ties with Russia?

Kasatkina was born in Tolyatti, a city on the banks of the River Volga and located about 1,000 kilometers from the capital Moscow, near the Kazakhstan border. His two parents were athletes classified nationally before taking different professions – his mother was in athletics while his father played ice hockey.

She was presented in tennis at the age of six by her brother Alexsandr, who also happens to be her fitness coach. To expose the potential in tennis after entering the ITF junior circuit at the age of 14, winning its first title in its second event.

She would later win the title of Roland-Garros Girls in simple in 2014 and culminated as high as n ° 3 in the junior classification. His professional career, however, was already underway at that time, Kasatkina having made his first appearance as a participant qualifying as a joker at the Kremlin Cup the previous year.

The following year, she would make her debut at WTA Main Draw at the same event the following year, this time, undergoing a defeat in the first round against the American Alison Riske.

Kasatkina was French semi-finalist in 2022 and a quarter of Wimbledon in 2018 and is currently classified 12th. The best career ranking of the champion in the simple WTA was eighth. So far, she has won a total of $ 13.15 million in her career.

Kasatkina said in 2023 that she had fled Russia because she did not feel safe “as a gay person who opposes war”. Three years ago, Kasatkina became public with her relationship with the Russian Olympic artistic skater Natalia Zabiiako and in the past two years, he lives in Spain and Dubai.

Meanwhile, she was also a vocal criticism of the Russian war with Ukraine.

Tennis Australia said on Saturday that it had been informed that Australia had granted a permanent residence in Kasatkina.

“Tennis Australia warmly welcomes Daria to the Australian tennis family,” he said in a statement. “Immediately, Daria will compete as an aliconian and we wish her all the best for her next tournaments.”

With the AP entries