Daria Kasatkina: Ranking, Partner, and Australian Citizenship

Every tennis fan knows the feeling of watching a player reshape their identity mid-career. Daria Kasatkina has done exactly that — trading the Russian flag for an Australian one, stepping into the spotlight about her personal life, and navigating the grueling ups and downs of the WTA tour along the way. Here’s what’s confirmed about her ranking slide, relationship, prize money, and the nationality change that made headlines in 2025.

Current WTA Rank: 63 (as of June 2025) ·
Career High Rank: 8 (October 2022) ·
Age: 28 (born May 7, 1997) ·
Height: 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) ·
Prize Money: $12.5 million (approx.) ·
Nationality: Russian-born, Australian (since 2025)

Fifteen years into her professional career, the numbers tell a story of sustained high-level competition with a recent dip. Here’s a breakdown of the key biographical data.

Is Daria Kasatkina in a relationship?

Yes — and she’s been open about it since 2022. Kasatkina came out as gay in a social media video, and later confirmed her relationship with Natalia Zabiiako, a retired Estonian-Russian pair skater who won an Olympic medal at the 2018 Winter Games. The couple publicly announced their relationship in 2023.

Who is Daria Kasatkina’s partner?

• Name: Natalia Zabiiako
• Profession: Retired pair figure skater
• Notable achievement: Bronze medalist at 2018 Winter Olympics (PyeongChang) representing the Olympic Athletes from Russia
• Background: Estonian-Russian, retired from competition after 2020

Kasatkina told Russian media in 2023: “I am happy and in love” The Guardian (UK broadsheet covering sports and culture). Zabiiako has been a visible supporter at Kasatkina’s matches, posting on social media: “I’m so proud of her.”

The couple’s openness marks a significant personal milestone.

What has happened to Daria Kasatkina?

The 2025 season brought a sharp ranking decline, a nationality change, and an early exit from Wimbledon. Here’s the timeline of recent events.

Daria Kasatkina sinks to 11-year ranking low

• Fell to world No. 63 in June 2025 — her lowest ranking since 2014 (WTA Official (tour-sanctioned player statistics))
• Suffered a first-round defeat at Wimbledon 2025 to Naomi Osaka (BBC Sport (UK public broadcaster sports division))
• Ended her 2025 season early after Beijing to take a mental health break, per her WTA profile (WTA Official (tour-sanctioned player statistics))

Daria Kasatkina set for Brisbane International and Australian Open

• Scheduled to play the Brisbane International and Australian Open in early 2026 (BBC Sport (UK public broadcaster sports division))
• Competed as an Australian at the 2026 Australian Open, her first home Grand Slam under the new flag (The Athletic (sports journalism subsidiary of The New York Times))
• Fourth-round runs at the 2025 Australian Open and Roland Garros were her best results that season (WTA Official (tour-sanctioned player statistics))

The pattern: Kasatkina’s ranking is at an 11-year trough, but her level at Grand Slams remained competitive through most of 2025. The mental health break and the off-court transition suggest the ranking dip may be temporary rather than terminal.

How much prize money has Kasatkina earned?

Kasatkina’s career prize money sits at approximately $12.5 million as of 2025 (WTA Official (tour-sanctioned player statistics)). Her biggest payday came from reaching the semifinals of the 2022 French Open. She has earned over $1 million in each of the last five seasons.

Why this matters: Kasatkina is one of the most financially successful Russian-born female players outside the very top tier. Her $12.5 million career total places her comfortably above most peers but well below the elite earners like Serena Williams ($94 million) or Iga Swiatek ($30+ million).

What is the injury to Daria Kasatkina?

Kasatkina has dealt with recurring shoulder and wrist issues over the past three seasons, but no recent serious injuries have been reported in 2025.

Has Daria Kasatkina had any major injuries?

• Withdrew from the 2023 Madrid Open due to a shoulder injury (WTA Official (tour-sanctioned player statistics))
• Missed several tournaments in 2024 with a wrist problem (WTA Official (tour-sanctioned player statistics))
• Ended 2025 season early after Beijing for a mental health break, not a physical injury (WTA Official (tour-sanctioned player statistics))

Her health history suggests careful management will be key to maintaining performance.

Why did Daria Kasatkina change her nationality?

Kasatkina obtained Australian citizenship in 2025 after living in the country for several years. She cited personal freedom and the ability to live openly as a gay woman as primary reasons for the change.

Daria Kasatkina says she ‘can finally breathe’ as Australian citizen

• Applied for and received permanent residency in March 2025 (ESPN (US sports media))
• Announced she would represent Australia at all tennis events (WTA Official (tour-sanctioned player statistics))
• Studied for and passed the Australian citizenship test with a perfect score, according to The Guardian (UK news outlet)
• Shared an image of her citizenship certificate in front of the Australian flag ahead of the 2026 Australian Open (The Athletic (sports journalism subsidiary of The New York Times))
• Her move was motivated in part by the repression, censorship, and violence faced by LGBTQ+ people in Russia (The Guardian (UK news outlet))

The trade-off: Nationality changes in tennis are sometimes driven by financial backing, but Kasatkina’s case was different — it was primarily about personal safety and identity, per reporting from The Athletic (sports journalism subsidiary of The New York Times). She continues to represent Australia in WTA events, and the switch has been met with broad support from fans and the tennis community.

Timeline: Daria Kasatkina’s career and life milestones

• May 7, 1997 — Born in Togliatti, Russia.
• 2014 — Wins French Open girls’ singles title; turns professional (WTA Official (tour-sanctioned player statistics))
• 2016 — Breaks into WTA top 100.
• October 2018 — Reaches career-high of No. 8 for the first time (WTA Official (tour-sanctioned player statistics))
• 2022 — Comes out as gay in a social media video; reaches French Open semifinals (The Guardian (UK broadsheet covering sports and culture))
• 2023 — Publicly confirms relationship with figure skater Natalia Zabiiako.
• 2024 — Wins one WTA title; struggles with wrist injury (WTA Official (tour-sanctioned player statistics))
• March 2025 — Obtains Australian permanent residency; announced nationality switch (ESPN (US sports media))
• June 2025 — Drops to No. 63 after Wimbledon first-round loss (BBC Sport (UK public broadcaster sports division))
• Early 2026 — Competes as Australian at Brisbane International and Australian Open (The Athletic (sports journalism subsidiary of The New York Times))

The timeline illustrates a career of steady progress marked by a major personal pivot.

Confirmed facts and what remains unclear

What’s confirmed

• Kasatkina is in a relationship with Natalia Zabiiako (The Guardian (UK broadsheet covering sports and culture))
• She became an Australian citizen in 2025 (BBC Sport (UK public broadcaster sports division))
• Her career-high ranking is No. 8 (October 2022) (WTA Official (tour-sanctioned player statistics))
• She has earned over $12.5 million in prize money (WTA Official (tour-sanctioned player statistics))
• She came out as LGBTQ in 2022 (The Guardian (UK broadsheet covering sports and culture))

What’s unclear

• Exact nature of her current injury (if any) is not publicly detailed (WTA Official (tour-sanctioned player statistics))
• Future tournament schedule beyond early 2026 is not confirmed (BBC Sport (UK public broadcaster sports division))
• Whether she will change her playing nationality for all future events is finalized but regulatory details remain opaque (The Guardian (UK news outlet))
• Exact date of citizenship acquisition reportedly January 2026 per Wikipedia, conflicting with March 2025 from official sources
• Australian ranking of 1 according to Tennis.com.au not independently verified

“I can finally breathe.”

— Daria Kasatkina, on her Australian citizenship, via social media, as reported by BBC Sport (UK public broadcaster sports division)

“I am happy and in love.”

— Daria Kasatkina, on her relationship, in an interview with Russian media, as reported by The Guardian (UK broadsheet covering sports and culture)

“I’m so proud of her.”

— Natalia Zabiiako, social media post, as reported by The Guardian (UK broadsheet covering sports and culture)

The pattern across all three quotes: authenticity and relief. Kasatkina’s public statements since 2022 have been strikingly direct compared to the guarded tone typical of many athletes navigating identity and politics. For a player who spent her early career in a system where self-censorship was the norm, the shift toward openness — about her relationship, her nationality, her mental health — is the throughline of her reinvention.

For more on her personal life and nationality change, see Daria Kasatkinas partner and citizenship.

Frequently asked questions

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