'IT'S MY HOME NOW': KASATKINA TO FLY BACK TO MELBOURNE, TALKS BJK CUP ELIGIBILITY
- Christian Montegan
- Jul 6, 2025
- 2 min read
As each tournament passes, Australia is getting to know world No.18 Daria Kasatkina a little better.
The 2018 Wimbledon quarter-finalist succumbed to a 2-6, 3-6 defeat against 16th-seed Liudmila Samsonova in the third-round overnight amid multiple rain delays.
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Samsonova has yet to concede more than three games in a set throughout The Championships, and her Aussie opponent was wary of what to expect.
"I knew that it's going to be very tough… she's in great shape, winning a lot, especially on grass, and her game… It's very good on this surface," she confessed post-match.
"Of course, I think I could do better on my side, but I also have to give her credit. She played a very, very good match.
"Her serve is one of the most dangerous ones on tour. A few times, I looked [at] the speed, it was about 170 miles per hour… We all know her game is super aggressive… I didn't feel like she was giving me any gifts today."
In March, Kasatkina announced her allegiance switch from Russia to Australia, gaining permanent residency to relocate to Melbourne.
Having appeared in 10 consecutive Australian Open main draws, the 28-year-old has only ever stepped foot down under in the scorching heat, but is now ready to settle into her new home.
"Now I'm just managing the flights, and when it's like in the next couple of days, I'm going to fly, yes, to Australia. I know that it's winter there, so I think first time… not I think… the first time in my life, I'm going to experience Australian winter, not the summer," said Kasatkina.
"It's my home now, so I have to accept it. I mean, this place accepted me."
She is good friends with fellow Aussie Daria Saville, who was also born in Russia, and the latter was approached for advice on buying a house in her home city of Melbourne.
"[Daria] tried to help, but I think I have to do it myself, because all she gave me was her location," Kasatkina shared. "I was like, 'Is there anything else?' [and] she's like, 'Go find yourself.' If you are not happy with my advice, go find yourself. I was like, 'Okay, I will do it myself.'"
As the countdown continues towards Australia's Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers in November, there is still lingering doubt concerning Kasatkina's eligibility to represent the green and gold.
The former world No.8 won the 2021 BJK Cup title under the Russian flag, but there are more steps in the process before she can make her debut.
"I need to become a citizen first… after that, they can move forward, but before that, there is not much room for progress," Kasatkina revealed.
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It's really nice to see Daria opening up about her move to Melbourne and accepting Australian winter as part of her new life. The off-court stories like hers are always my favourite part of The First Serve coverage. On a practical note, for any of the active women reading along, this bra size calculator is a quick way to find the right fit at home.
Nice to see Kasatkina owning the move to Melbourne so openly, even after a tough Wimbledon exit to Samsonova. The First Serve always does a great job pairing the on-court tennis with the off-court stories. By the way, if you ever need a quick way to check the dimensions of match photos before posting, this image size checker is surprisingly handy.
Great insight into Kasatkina's tough match! By the way, if you need a fun break from tennis, try toon tone characters game —it's a quick color memory challenge that's surprisingly addictive.
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Tough loss for Daria against Samsonova, but grass has always been tricky. It is really nice to see how genuinely happy she is about relocating to Melbourne and embracing the Aussie winter. Hopefully the citizenship process goes smoothly so we can see her in the green and gold for the BJK Cup soon! Honestly, following all these tennis tournaments and player transfers takes a lot of screen time. Whenever my brain gets a bit fried from analyzing stats or working late, I usually just unwind on minigame to play some quick browser games to relax. Safe travels back home, Dasha!