Russian-born tennis player Daria Kasatkina said that she “didn’t have much choice” about the decision to compete for Australia due to her sexuality.

Daria Kasatkina says she “didn’t have much choice” but to defect from her home country of Russia following her decision to become a permanent resident of Australia. Kasatkina, 27, came out publicly in 2022 and said her decision to represent Australia was necessary if she wanted to “be myself”.

More than two years after fleeing her country because she’s gay, out Russian tennis star Daria Kasatkina announced over the weekend she’s been granted permanent residency in Australia.