[Source: Reuters]

Russian-born Daria Kasatkina said she was emotional and excited to begin a fresh chapter in her career under the Australian flag at the ongoing Charleston Open after being granted permanent residency last week.

The 27-year-old has been playing on the tour as a neutral athlete after Russian and Belarusian players were banned from competing under their own flags following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, for which Belarus has been a staging ground.

“It’s my first official day as an Australian player,” said Kasatkina, who dipped into Australian colloquialism and referred to reporters in Charleston as “mates” on Monday.

“Honestly, it feels different, I’m not going to lie. It’s emotional for me. I have to get used to it. But I’m really happy to start this new chapter of my life representing Australia on the big stage.”

Kasatkina, who was born in the western Russian city of Tolyatti, has not returned to the country in more than two years after coming out as gay and being one of the few players to have publicly spoken out against the war.

Russia has designated the LGBT movement as extremist and those supporting it as terrorists, paving the way for serious criminal cases against LGBT people and their advocates.

World number 12 Kasatkina, who lives in Dubai and trains in Spain, now plans to make Melbourne her home.

“With everything going on in my previous country, I didn’t have much choice,” Kasatkina said about her decision to switch her nationality.

“For me, being openly gay, if I want to be myself, I have to make this step, and I did it.”

Kasatkina received a first-round bye and plays either Lauren Davis or Jamie Loeb in the Charleston second round when the 2017 champion will be introduced as representing Australia for the first time on court.

Leaving a Swiss court acquitted for the second time.

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