Playing under the Australian flag for the first time in her career, Daria Kasatkina delivered a commanding 6-1 6-1 victory over Lauren Davis in the second round of the Credit One Charleston Open.
Since 2022, Kasatkina has competed as a neutral athlete after players from Russia and Belarus were barred from national representation due to the invasion of Ukraine. Last week, she officially announced that she had gained permanent residency in Australia and would now compete under its flag. The Tolyatti-born star described the transition as both necessary and emotional.
Seeded third in Charleston, Kasatkina received a first-round bye before making quick work of Davis in just 61 minutes. The world No. 12 Kasatkina is Australia’s top-ranked WTA player. The second-highest-ranked Australian, Kimberly Birrell, sits at No. 62. Australia currently has five WTA players in the Top 100, with Olivia Gadecki—born in Gold Coast and of Polish descent—being the only one born in the country.
During her on-court interview, Kasatkina shared her emotions about the life-changing moment:
I couldn’t handle my smile, even though I was a bit stressed before the match. Stepping on court with the new status, with the new flag, it was quite stressful. I had this little baggage of the nerves, and it…
