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Kasatkina, the only openly gay woman in the top 100 of singles on the WTA Tour, revealed her sexuality in a video interview in 2022 before leaving Russia, which has strict laws on LGBTQ+ rights.<\/p>\n
After also criticising the war in Ukraine in the interview, a Russian politician unsuccessfully called for her to be listed as a ‘foreign agent’ – someone acting against Russian interests.<\/p>\n
Last year, she said she was expecting “consequences” following her actions.<\/p>\n
“With everything going on in my previous country, I didn’t have much choice [to switch allegiance],” she told reporters on Monday.<\/p>\n
“For me, being openly gay, if I want to be myself, I have to make this step, and I did it.<\/p>\n
“I have to get used to it a little bit, because for a couple of years I didn’t hear anything. But it’s something nice to get used to.”<\/p>\n
Natela Dzalamidze and Alexander Shevchenko are among other Russia-born tennis players to switch nationality in recent years, now representing Georgia and Kazakhstan respectively. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n