‘Really Happy’ Kasatkina Secures Victory in First Match as Australian in Charleston

Daria Kasatkina, the former champion of the Credit One Charleston Open, marked the beginning of her 2025 tournament and a new phase in her career representing Australia with a dominant 6-1, 6-1 victory over wild card Lauren Davis in the second round.

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Kasatkina had been competing as a neutral athlete since 2022 due to restrictions on Russian and Belarusian players following the Ukraine invasion. Recently, she announced her permanent residency in Australia and her decision to compete under the Australian flag.

Leading up to Charleston, where she won her first Hologic WTA Tour title in 2017, the No. 5 seed Kasatkina revealed that her sexual orientation played a significant role in her decision. In 2023, the Russian government labeled the `international LGBT movement` as `extremist`.

`Given the circumstances in my home country, I felt I had little choice,` Kasatkina explained to Ben Rothenberg at Bounces. `As an openly gay person wanting to live authentically, this move was necessary.`

The world No. 12 Kasatkina demonstrated impressive form both on and off the court in her debut match as Australia`s top-ranked player, significantly ahead of Kimberly Birrell, the country`s No. 2 ranked at No. 62. She swiftly defeated Davis in just 61 minutes and then engaged in a cheerful on-court interview with Andrew Krasny.

`I couldn`t stop smiling, even though I was a bit nervous before the match,` she admitted to Krasny. `Stepping onto the court with my new status and flag was quite stressful. I felt those pre-match nerves, but they disappeared as soon as I started playing. I`m relieved I managed to handle it.`

As the crowd applauded and Krasny gave her a high-five, Kasatkina`s smile widened as she expressed her gratitude for the support.

`The past few years have been challenging, so I am truly happy to be here and feel this way,` she concluded.