Her words shocked not only Russian fans, but also the entire tennis world. The eleventh player in the world, Darya Kasatkinová, spoke openly on YouTube about the biggest problems of contemporary Russia. However, unlike her compatriots Andrey Rublyov, Daniil Medvedev and others, she definitely did not stop at just phrases.
“A ban on the start of Russian athletes? Sure, it’s right. At least when it comes to team sports. I don’t think it’s right anymore in the case of individual sports like tennis,” said Kasatkinová.
For many months now, Russian athletes have been competing under a neutral flag or do not have a national symbol next to their name at all. “I am proud to be Russian. And it will remain so. But it is clear that I will no longer play under the Russian flag. And as far as my career is concerned, tennis is a clear priority. And that is the point,” said the winner of six tournaments on the circuit.
Kasatkinová indicated earlier that she is actually thinking about changing her citizenship. However, unlike many of her compatriots, her new home would not be Kazakhstan, under whose flag Jelena Rybakinová, a native of Moscow, won this year’s Wimbledon, but Switzerland. “The country impresses me,” Kasatkina admitted of her affection for Roger Federer’s homeland.
Already in July, the Russian number one caused quite an uproar when, in very conservative Russia, she admitted to a relationship with a woman who is Olympic silver medalist figure skater Natalie Zabijakova, who lives in Canada.
Russian tennis number one Darya KasatkinPhoto: Profimedia.cz
“Living in a cage is pointless, living at peace with yourself is what matters. I cough on others,” Kasatkinová said in reference to the fact that a law has been in force in Russia for almost ten years, which prohibits the dissemination of information about homosexuality among minors. She was just as radical against the war in Ukraine.
Another elite Russian player, Jekatěrina Alexandrová, who has lived in Říčany since the age of 12 and trains on the courts of Sparta Prague, has already considered changing her citizenship to Czech.
