Daria Kasatkina says that “she hadn’t chosen” but to make Australia change
Kasatkina, the only openly gay woman in the top 100 of individuals on the WTA tour, revealed her sexuality in a video interview in 2022 before leaving Russia, who has rigid laws on LGBTQ+rights.
After also criticizing the war in Ukraine in the interview, a Russian politician asked without success to be listed as a “foreign agent” – someone who acts against Russian interests.
Last year, he said he expected “consequences” following his actions.
“With everything that happens in my previous country, I didn’t have much choice (to change loyalty),” he told journalists on Monday.
“For me, being openly gay, if I want to be myself, I have to take this step and I took it.
“I have to get used to a little, because for a couple of years I have not heard anything. But it’s something beautiful to get used to it.”
Nava Dzalamidze and Alexander Shevchenko are among other Russian tennis tennis players to change nationality in recent years, which now represent Georgia and Kazakistan respectively.
