Russian tennis player Daria Kasatkina has announced a change in her sporting citizenship and will now represent Australia on the international stage. The 27-year-old athlete announced this on March 28, 2025, via her social media, expressing pride in the opportunity to begin a new stage of her career under the flag of her "new homeland". The decision follows the receipt of permanent residence in Australia, which opened the way for her to change citizenship both in life and in professional sports.

"I am proud to announce that from now on I will be representing Australia in my tennis career," — wrote Kasatkina, emphasizing the significance of this step.

At the time of the announcement, she was ranked 12th in the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) rankings and was Russia's second-ranked tennis player after Mirra Andreeva. During her career, the athlete has won numerous awards, including the title of Honored Master of Sports of Russia, awarded in 2022. However, that same year was also marked for her by a loud personal statement: Kasatkina became one of the first Russian athletes to publicly come out, talking about her relationship with a girl. This caused a wide resonance, especially against the backdrop of Russian legislation, since the LGBT organization is recognized as extremist and banned.

Kasatkina’s move to Australia is a landmark event in the world of tennis. Australia, known for its strong traditions in the sport, offers the athlete new prospects, including participation in team tournaments such as the Billie Jean King Cup, under her new citizenship. The decision has already received approval from Tennis Australia, whose representatives confirmed that Kasatkina meets the requirements of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) for changing sporting affiliation after living in the country for a certain period of time.

The move has sparked debate in the Russian sports community. The Russian Tennis Federation has not yet given any official comments, but experts note that Kasatkina's departure could weaken the country's position in women's tennis, where she was one of the leaders. Moreover, Kasatkina's position clearly discredits the Russian Federation.