Daria Kasatkina, the top-ranked women’s tennis player from Russia, has spoken in support of the All England Club and LTA’s decision to help Ukrainian players during the British grass court season.
Following their decision to allow Russian and Belarusian players to compete as neutrals at this year’s championships, the AELTC and LTA announced last week that they would provide all Ukrainian players with two hotel rooms and access to their exclusive training facilities during the grass court season.
“Most of the players, they cannot go back to their practice bases, they cannot go home,” said Kasatkina.
“So I think it makes a lot of sense to give them the opportunity to practise in London at the All England Club. They cannot go back home, they have to be always on the road and they have to pay all the time for accommodation so I think it makes a lot of sense to do this kind of thing.”
Earlier on Sunday, Kasatkina beat Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko 6-4, 6-2 to reach the fourth round at the Madrid Open. Kasatkina said she has no issue with Tsurenko opting not to shake hands with her, as has been the case in the many matches between Ukrainian and Russian players since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Kasatkina instead offered a friendly wave towards Tsurenko, which Tsurenko appeared to acknowledge.
“Well, the saddest part is the war still going on,” said Kasatkina. “So, of course, players from Ukraine, they’ve got a lot of reasons to not shake our hands. I accept it and it is how it is. It’s a very sad situation and I understand. I was actually happy that she waved me back. I’m already happy with that.”
Kasatkina confirmed that she will play at Wimbledon. She has already signed the AELTC’s and LTA’s declaration, which requires players and support staff from Russia to agree not to publicly support the invasion of Ukraine, to compete as a neutral and not to take funds from the Russian state or organisations close to the government.
“You will see the acceptance list,” said Kasatkina, smiling. “But yes, I signed it. I want to play and, for me, my career is the number one priority. So I want to play and I don’t see anything which would stop me to sign it.”
Kasatkina has consistently stated her opposition to the war in Ukraine and she has responded to questions on the subject in press conferences without hesitation.
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In a conversation with Russian blogger Vitya Kravchenko last summer while her colleagues competed in Wimbledon, Kasatkina was asked what she wanted most at that moment: “For the war to end,” she said. “There hasn’t been a single day since February 24th that I haven’t read some news myself or haven’t thought of [it].” The documentary finished with Kasatkina, who lives in Spain and hasn’t returned to Russia since the invasion, tearful after being asked if she feared not being able to return to Russia.
During the same interview, Kasatkina came out as gay, revealing that she is in a relationship with former figure skater Natalia Zabiiako: “Living in peace with yourself is the only thing that matters, and fuck everyone else,” she said in the video.
Kasatkina has since shrugged off criticism from some quarters in Russia for both her comments on the war and her sexuality, including a state Duma member, Roman Teryushkov, who campaigned for Kasatkina to be listed as a “foreign agent”. On the tour, however, Zabiiako and Kasatkina have started a popular YouTube channel documenting their lives and speaking with numerous players.
“She’s doing editing, music, subtitles, everything by herself. I’m just filming sometimes, so, for me, I’m partly employed,” said Kasatkina, smiling.
