Daria Kasatkina

Born in Togliatti, Samara region (Russia), Daria Kasatkina began competing on the junior circuit at 14. At 17, she moved to Trnava, Slovakia, to train at the Empire Tennis Academy under Vladimir Platenik. That same year, she won the French Open juniors and claimed her first two ITF titles. Kasatkina played her first WTA match in Moscow in 2014 and steadily climbed the rankings. Her breakthrough came in 2017 with a title in Charleston, coached by Belgian Philippe Dehaes. The following year marked her real rise: finalist in Indian Wells, quarterfinalist at both Roland-Garros and Wimbledon, and champion in Moscow at the Kremlin Cup. The end of her collaboration with Dehaes and the arrival of Carlos Martínez Jornet brought two difficult seasons, with a significant drop in form and rankings. In 2022, however, she returned to the top level, reaching the French Open semifinals and achieving a career-high of World No. 8. During this period, she also established herself as the No. 1 Russian player before beginning a new collaboration with Italian coach Flavio Cipolla. Known for her speed, touch, and creativity early in her career, Kasatkina’s game has evolved into one built on a heavy topspin forehand and consistency. Her serve remains her most vulnerable shot, often giving away free points. A passionate admirer of Rafael Nadal, she has often cited him as her biggest inspiration. Off the court, Kasatkina made headlines in 2022 when she came out as gay, becoming one of the first top Russian players to do so. In 2025, she officially switched her sporting nationality to Australia, citing incompatibility between her identity and Russia’s stance toward homosexual rights.