FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 20, 2025 Russia's Daria Kasatkina reacts during her fourth round match against Emma Navarro of the U.S. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/File Photo/File Photo
(Reuters) - Russian-born Daria Kasatkina said she had mixed emotions in her first match as an Australian player at the Charleston Open, but the support of the crowd helped her overcome her nerves to make a winning start.
Kasatkina had to compete on tour as a neutral after Russian and Belarusian players were banned from playing under their own flags due to Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine but was granted permanent residency by Australia last week.
