Why Daria Kasatkina’s Move is a Game-Changer for Australian Tennis

Former player and current commentator for Nine, John Millman, is confident that Daria Kasatkina’s unexpected switch will significantly enhance Australia’s chances in the Billie Jean King Cup.

A native of Russia, Kasatkina announced on Saturday morning that she has been granted permanent residency in Australia and will start representing her new home immediately.

The 27-year-old, currently ranked No.12 in the world, has previously reached the semi-finals at Roland-Garros and achieved a career-high ranking of No.8. Notably, she has yet to secure a WTA title.

With Australian women’s tennis lacking a top-tier player since Ash Barty’s retirement, Millman expressed that Kasatkina’s change of allegiance will provide a much-needed boost to the sport.

“On the men’s side, we’ve been achieving some great results, but the women’s category has lacked depth and a standout name since Ash Barty’s departure,” he mentioned on Nine’s Weekend Today.

“Getting a world No.12 player ready to compete is monumental for the sport.

“Moreover, there are discussions about her participating in the Billie Jean King Cup, which would make us serious contenders for victory.”

Millman later shared on Nine’s Wide World of Sports that the first signals of Kasatkina’s switch emerged during the Australian Open held in January.

Kasatkina had been residing and training in Dubai and Spain, having been distanced from Russia following a candid interview in 2022.

In that interview, she denounced the Russian invasion of Ukraine and publicly identified as gay, prompting Russian officials to attempt to label her as a foreign agent.

She will now become Australia’s highest-ranked player, surpassing Kim Birrell (No.68), Maya Joint (No.80), Ajla Tomljanovic (No.88), and Olivia Gadecki (No.99).

Daria Saville (formerly Gavrilova) and sisters Anastasia and Arina Rodionova have also previously represented Russia before becoming Australian citizens.

Kasatkina’s debut under the Australian flag is set for the Charleston Open on Wednesday (AEDT).