Daria Kasatkina, currently ranked world No. 12 in women's tennis, has officially begun representing Australia after switching allegiance from Russia. The 27-year-old player described the transition as emotional but necessary given her public stance on LGBTQ+ rights and the war in Ukraine.

The Difficult Decision

Kasatkina revealed she felt she had little choice but to make this change after publicly criticizing Russia's LGBTQ+ laws and military actions in Ukraine two and a half years ago. Since then, she has been living in Dubai and hadn't returned to Russia.

"It's my first official day as an Australian player. Honestly, it feels different, I'm not going to lie. It's emotional for me," Kasatkina said after having her permanent residency application approved last week.

New Chapter Begins

The former Russian player will debut under her new nationality at this week's Charleston Open in South Carolina. "I have to get used to it," she admitted. "But I'm really happy to start this new chapter of my life representing Australia on the big stage."

Background of the Controversy

Kasatkina's decision follows her 2022 video interview where she:

• Came out as gay (illegal to promote in Russia)
• Criticized Russia's war in Ukraine
• Faced potential 'foreign agent' classification

"For me, being openly gay, if I want to be myself, I have to make this step, and I did it," Kasatkina told reporters.

Other Russian Players Making Similar Moves

Kasatkina isn't alone in making this difficult transition:

• Natela Dzalamidze: Now represents Georgia
• Alexander Shevchenko: Now represents Kazakhstan

"With everything going on in my previous country, I didn't have much choice," Kasatkina reflected on her significant career decision.