Daria Kasatkina has stated she doesn’t feel any pressure in her first Grand Slam representing Australia, following a straightforward 6-4, 6-2 win over French wildcard Leolia Jeanjean.
The 17th seed maintained dominance throughout the match, amassing a remarkable 24 winners during the one hour and 39 minutes of play.
At 28 years of age, Kasatkina reached the semi-finals of Roland-Garros in 2022 and has successfully advanced to the third round for the seventh time in her career.
“I may not have the same physical strength as some of the other players, so I need to rely on my strategy, my brain, or my agility to secure wins,” Kasatkina shared with Stan Sport.
Kasatkina in action. Getty
“Occasionally, I pull off some surprising shots on the court, and even I find it hard to predict what I’ll play next.”
Roland-Garros marks Kasatkina’s fifth competition under the Australian banner, having officially made the switch in March at Charleston, thereby severing ties with Russia.
“I’ve been receiving encouraging messages on social media, and during the matches, I can hear people in the crowd shouting, ‘Let’s go Aussie!’ and similar cheers,” she noted.
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“On social media, I’ve noticed that many people are expressing their happiness for me and welcoming me to Australia.”
“It feels wonderful to receive such support; being embraced and welcomed means a lot to me.”
Earlier this week, she expressed her disbelief: “[I] never thought I would have the chance to identify as Australian one day.”
“Life is unpredictable in where it can take you.”
Kasatkina is set to face No.10 seed Paula Badosa in her upcoming third-round match.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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