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Togliatti-born Daria Kasatkina has always represented Russia on the WTA Tour and is currently the highest-ranked player from her country. However, a recent draw ceremony at the Abu Dhabi Open caused widespread confusion when the Spanish flag was mistakenly displayed next to her name, leading many to believe she had switched her citizenship.
The “news” of Kasatkina changing her citizenship to Spain came as a shock, but it was a plausible theory given her well-known ties to the country. The world No. 11 previously lived and trained in Barcelona, working with Spanish coaches and taking advantage of the country’s top-tier tennis facilities and favorable climate. Although she continues to train in Barcelona periodically, her current residence is in Dubai, and she has not been in Russia for several years.
Furthermore, Kasatkina has been vocal in her criticism of Russia’s LGBTQ+ laws and her opposition to the war in Ukraine. As soon as the Spanish flag appeared beside her name, social media was abuzz with speculation regarding a possible nationality switch.
Ultimately, the tournament clarified the situation, admitting the mistake and issuing an apology.
“We sincerely apologise for the error made by one of our suppliers during the live draw, whereby an incorrect nationality was shown alongside the name of Daria Kasatkina,” the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open reported on its social networks. “This was entirely an administrative mistake and has now been corrected.”
Since the start of the Ukraine-Russia war, Kasatkina and other Russian players have competed as neutrals at tournaments, without a flag next to their names. The mistake in Abu Dhabi has sparked concern within Kasatkina’s management team, who called the incident “potentially quite harmful.” “This carries some strong implications for Daria if the Russian authorities feel she is trying to switch—which she is not,” they stated.
As the third seed, Kasatkina has a first-round bye at the Abu Dhabi Open and awaits the winner of an all-American clash between McCartney Kessler and Ashlyn Krueger. The WTA 500 event in the United Arab Emirates features a star-studded field, including Elena Rybakina, Paula Badosa, Leylah Fernandez, Ons Jabeur, and Emma Raducanu, among others. (source: Tennis Up To Date)
