In a revealing video interview back in 2022, Kasatkina spoke openly about her sexuality and subsequently decided to leave Russia, where strict anti-LGBTQ+ laws are in place. During the same interview, she also voiced her opposition to the war in Ukraine, which didn’t sit well with everyone back home. In fact, a Russian politician even tried, though unsuccessfully, to label her a “foreign agent,” essentially accusing her of acting against the country’s interests.
Reflecting on last year, Kasatkina acknowledged that she was bracing for potential “consequences” due to her outspoken nature. Speaking to reporters on Monday, she explained, “With the current situation in my former country, my choices were quite limited when it came to changing allegiance.”
“For someone like me, living openly as a gay person meant that staying true to myself required a big change, and I decided to take that step,” she added. Although she’s still adjusting to her new reality, she remarked, “For a couple of years, I didn’t hear much of anything, but it’s a welcome change I need to get used to.”
Kasatkina isn’t the only one to have made such a switch in citizenship among tennis players. Natela Dzalamidze and Alexander Shevchenko, who also hail from Russia, have transferred their allegiances to Georgia and Kazakhstan, respectively, marking a notable trend in the sporting community.
