Daria Kasatkina Opens Up About Her Sexuality - UBITENNIS
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Daria Kasatkina Opens Up About Her Sexuality

In a candid interview the Russian spoke openly and honestly about her private life.

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3 years ago

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Russian tennis star Daria Kasatkina has spoken out about her personal life and various other topics in an extraordinarily wide ranging interview with sports.ru presenter Sonya Tartakova.

The world No.37 is one of the most decorated women on the Tour this season after winning titles in St Petersburg and Melbourne at the Phillip Island Trophy. Her win-loss for the year currently stands at 16-5. Kasatkina, who is a former top 10 player, has already cut her ranking in half since February. One of her coaches is Carlos Martinez who has recently spoken about his work with the Russian during an interview with UbiTennis.

After her successful start of 2021, Kasatkina spoke extensively about her life with Tartakova for an hour-long documentary. During one segment the two discussed sexuality and why there are more openly LGBT female players than male.

“It’s very hard for me to tell. In Russia things like that are met with huge negativity. Not just Russia, it is the same for the rest of the world,” said Kasatkina who is from a country which has laws banning so-called ‘gay propaganda.’
“Europeans are more tolerant. But the world still doesn’t accept homosexuality as much. I think many athletes are afraid. Afraid of backlash, of losing sponsorships. There could be many reasons.’
“But those who come out are doing it right. Why should they hide their true self?”

Tennis has a rich history when it comes to LGBT sports thanks to pioneers such as Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova who both came out during the 1980s. Nowadays the Tour has numerous openly gay players such as Sam Stosur, Alison Van Uytvanck, Greet minnen and Carla Saurez Navarro. However, on the men’s Tour there are currently no openly gay players and there has been few in the past. Former world No.57 Brian Vahaly came out after retirement.

Addressing her own personal life, 23-year-old Kasatkina is not labelling herself as she explores her own sexuality.

“Women know how to dangle the bait properly. Women know how other women work. (They) understand the others psychological needs,” she commented on the difference between genders in her view.

Pressed further in the interview about her personal life, the tennis star said she would consider having a same sex relationship if she finds somebody.

“I’m still learning myself. Both ways have their perks, so why not? yes I would,” she explained. “Girls in a relationship are connected with more understanding. There is a lot of misunderstanding between men and women. Women are more emotional and feel each other’s emotions better.”

For the moment, relationships remain a thing of discovery for Kasatkina. She hopes over the coming years she will work out what it is they she truly wants but it isn’t a guarantee. Instead she is going to take things as they come.

“I’d like to know better myself. Have a better understanding of my wishes. So it wouldn’t be, ‘Dasha, what do you want?” and I’m like “……..(silent)” She said.
“Naturally I want to know. Maybe I’ll never fully understand who I am and what I want. But at least I could myself little by little every day. Would be cool. Anyway, ask me in a few years and I’ll tell you..”

In 2020 the International Review for the Sociology of Sport published a study which found athletes developed greater happiness and self-confidence within their sport after coming out. Their findings were based on accounts of 60 different athletes from various sports which were published on outsports.com.

Ksaatkina’s sexuality was only a small extract in what was an extraordinary detailed interview. She also spoke at length about being tempted to retire from the sport in 2019, her weight and mental struggles on the Tour.

You can watch the video (which is in Russian but has English subtitles) below :-

Video breakdown (translated from Russian to English via google)

0:00 – Tizerim explosions of cars, the theme of revelry and sex with a rival
0:25 – We are in Togliatti. Sonya tells how scary it was there
1:10 – Dasha’s indecent tan
2:20 – Dasha, are you satisfied with your team?
2:30 – How much do you pay your coaches? Who is the dearest?
3:46 – Svetlana Kuznetsova was jealous of the coach towards you?
4:25 – Dasha in the gym
5:05 – What’s your ideal weight?
5:30 – “For life, Dasha looks overweight, but for tennis it’s cool” – how does it work?
6:40 – Enrages that in the comments they insult you because of being overweight?
7:55 – “Yes, I’m a kid, I love football, sneakers and bars”
8:48 – Dasha’s brother was a lawyer and became her professional physical training coach
11:03 – Dasha showed the fact to her brother at a tournament in America. How did you talk after the match?
12:19 – Parents sold the house for Dasha to play tennis
13:50 – Bandits who offered to protect the Kasatkin family
15:05 – Drugs [shit] in Togliatti 90s
17:00 – A story about a classmate who used
17:45 – “They used it in my presence. You walk down the street – and you see their glass eyes and pupil – to the point “
19:10 – Why did Dasha want to end her career at 22?
22:00 – Selfharm: I wanted to hurt myself, because nothing worked
24:10 – Does Dasha envy more successful tennis players of her age?
25:15 – “What happens to the second serve?” – “It ######”
27:50 – We are in Barcelona. Dasha tells where she lives and trains
30:01 – Are we buying an apartment?
30:37 – Nike abandoned Dasha and 14 other players. Why?
32:37 – How much money will be enough if you don’t play anymore?
35:30 – “If not for dad, mom and the sale of the house, would there be such a tennis player?” 36:15 – Tennis in Russia vs tennis in the USA. Comparing National Tennis Centers
38:35 – Relationship with a coach – how does it work?
40:20 – Suggestions in the directive: please drink water from the bathroom
41:20 – Attention from female tennis players
42:08 – Love, sex, loneliness in tennis. “Being alone is not scary”
43:15 – Same sex couples in women’s tennis
45:20 – What is the difference between attention from girls and men?
45:55 – Relationship with whom is more interesting for Dasha? “And there, and there are pluses” 47:10 – “I guess I’ll never know who I am 100%”
48:52 – When you are in front of Messi, what would you tell him?
49:10 – How Dasha played tennis with a Barcelona player
49:29 – Pyatyunya with Artem Dziuba (the same hand)
51:00 – Another memorable Friday – with Nadal
51:55 – “You can’t force a person to live your life.” Dasha’s mom explains how parents were able to let their children go so early
52:30 – “Child, are we bothering you a lot? For 5 thousand kilometers “
53:05 – From Togliatti to Moscow – Dasha with the cup!
55:30 – “There is such a state, then it is only death, it seems.” Dasha – about the most powerful celebration of victory

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Alexander Zverev beats Alejandro Tabilo to reach the third final of his career in Rome

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2 days ago

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17/05/2024

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Akexander Zverev came back from one set down to beat Alejandro Tabilo 1-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 reaching the third final of his career at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome and his first Masters 1000 final since 2022. 

Zverev reached his 11th career Masters 1000 final, equalling his compatriot Boris Becker for most Masters 1000 final appearances by a German man since the series started in 1990.

Tabilo earned a double break point with a forehand drop shot winner. The Chilean player forced an error with a topspin forehand into the corner to earn his first break in the fourth game for 3-1 after just 13 minutes. Tabilo saved two break points to consolidate the break for 4-1. Tabilo held three break points and hit a forehand return winner to break at love for 5-1. The Toronto-born Chilean player closed out the first set with drop-shot winners. He won 10 of the last 12 points of the first set. 

Zverev won his first service game of the second set to stop his losing streak. The German player held serve in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead. 

Zverev double fault to face a break point. He saved it with a big serve and held serve for 4-3 in the seventh game. This year’s Auckland champion Tabilo held serve at love to force the second set to the tie-break. 

Tabilo earned the mini-break after Zverev made his fifth double fault at the start of the tie-break. Zverev pulled back on serve on the third point as Tabilo netted a backhand. Zverev went up a mini-break to take a 4-3 lead after one of the longest rallies of the match. Zverev converted his second set point to force the match the third set. 

Zverev earned three break points in the third game of the decider with a crosscourt backhand. Tabilo saved the first two break points, but Zverev converted his third break point to take a 2-1 lead, as Tabilo made a double fault. 

Zverev backed up the break with an ace to open up a 3-1 lead. Zverev earned a second break in the fifth game to take a 4-1 lead and closed out the win with his 10th ace of the match after 2 hours and 17 minutes. 

Zverev will face either Tommy Paul or Nicholas Jarry in the final. The Olympic champion will rise to world number 4 if he wins the Rome Masters 1000 title. 

Tabilo upset Novak Djokovic 6-2 6-3 last Sunday and backed up this win with a 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (12-10) win over Karen Khachanov in the fourth round. 

“I did not play well, but he was the reason why I did not play well. He came out hitting the ball extremely hard. A lot of dropshots. He was playing extremely aggressive. He did not let me play. I have to give credit to him for not allowing me to play my game”, said Zverev. 

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Taylor Fritz overcomes Grigor Dimitrov to reach the quarter finals in Rome

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5 days ago

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14/05/2024

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Taylor Fritz overcame a tough battle to beat Grigor Dimitrov 6-2 6-7 (11-13) 6-1 reaching the quarter final at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome. 

Fritz has become the first US player to reach quarter finals at three different clay court tournaments in Monte-Carlo in 2022 and 2023, Madrid 2024 and Rome 2024. 

Fritz broke serve in the third game and saved two break points to hold serve for 3-1. The US player fended off five break points before breaking serve in the seventh game to close out the first set 6-2. 

Dimitrov earned a set point at 5-4 on Fritz’s serve, but the US player fended it off. 

Fritz hit a smash to save a second break point. The Delray Beach champion and Munich finalist fought all 11 break points he faced in the match. 

Dimitrov hit a forehand down the line to earn an early mini-break in the tie-break and took a 2-0 lead. Fritz pulled the mini-break back for 2-3, when Dimitrov missed a forehand. Dimitrov earned a second mini-break with a drop-volley winner to take a 4-2 lead. Dimitrov went up a 6-3 lead to earn three set points. Fritz fired a wide serve to save a third set point. Fritz fended off a fourth set point with a drop-shot. Fritz saved the fifth set point to draw level to 6-6, as Dimitrov made a double fault. Dimitrov hit another drop volley to earn his seventh set point, but Fritz saved it. Dimitrov saved a match point at 8-7 on a second serve. 

Dimitrov earned a seventh set point, but he hit a forehand pass wide to drop to 9-9. Fritz faced an eighth set point at 10-9 with his first double fault, but he saved it to draw level to 10-10, as Dimitrov hit his slice into the net. Fritz saved a ninth set point with a backhand down the line to draw level to 11-11. Dimitrov converted his 10th set point with a forehand down the line to close out the 19-minute tie-break. Dimitrov forced the match to the decider after 2 hours and nine minutes. Fritz dropped his first set at this tournament. 

After a four-minute bathroom break Fritz converted his fourth break point to open up a 2-0 lead in the third set. Fritz won 12 of the 13 break points on his serve to open up a 4-1 lead. Dimitrov faced a two break points in the sixth game. Fritz broke for the second time in the sixth game with a forehand to race out to a 5-1 lead. Fritz sealed the win with his 13th ace on his first match point. 

After losing in the first round at the Miami Open, Fritz reached the final in Munich and the semifinal in Madrid, where he avenged a 2023 Roland Garros loss against Francisco Cerundolo in the quarter final. 

“I feel like normally in those situations. I would be a lot more uptight and nervy, but honestly I felt pretty calm. I think it was tough because the sun was moving the whole match, and right in the tie-break is the first time it was bad for me on that side, so I threw in the double fault. I had a really good opportunity on a second serve return, and he hit it into my body and a bit slower than the other ones. I just caught it a bit early trying to get out the way of it. It’s easy to go back and dwell on that the whole third set, but I did a really good job at just putting it behind me and not thinking about that second serve return”, said Fritz. 

Fritz set up a quarter final match against Alexander Zverev, who beat Nuno Borges 6-2 7-5. Zverev has reached at least the fourth round at all Masters 1000 tournaments this year. 

Zverev earned an early break, but Borges broke back to draw level to 2-2. Zverev won four consecutive games to close out the first set 6-2. Zverev earned the decisive break in the 11th game to seal the win in 86 minutes. Zverev hit 25 winners to Borges’ eight and his 82% of points on his first serve. Zverev has improved his seasonal record to 25 wins to 9 defeats. The German player reached three semifinals at Los Angeles, Miami and Los Cabos.  

Zverev leads 4-3 in his seven head-to head matches against Fritz, but the US player won two of their last three matches. Zverev and Fritz have never faced off on clay. 

“We were lined up potentially last week to play in the quarter finals, but it will be fun. We will see what happens. We have played each other a good amount and known each other a long time, said Fritz.

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Danil Medvedev battles past Hamad Medjedovic to reach the fourth round in Rome

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6 days ago

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14/05/2024

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Defending champion Danil Medvedev battled past 2023 Next Gen Finals champion Hamad Medjedovic 7-6 (7-5) 2-6 7-5 after 2 hours and 50 minutes on Centre Court to reach the Round of 16 at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome. 

Medvedev is the highest ranked player left in the men’s draw since Novak Djokovic lost against Alejandro Tabilo on Sunday. Medjedovic beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina without dropping a set to reach the third round of a Masters 1000 tournament for the first time in his career. He faced a top 10 player for the first time in his career. 

Medvedev broke serve in the first game and held on his serve to take a 4-2 lead in the opening set. Medjedovic broke serve at 15 in the eighth game to draw level to 4-4. Medvedev converted his fourth break point in the ninth game to take a 5-4 lead. Medjedovic broke straight back in the 10th game to draw level to 5-5 en route to the tie-break. Medvedev went up a mini-break three times, but Medjedovic pulled back on serve each time. Medvedev sealed the tie-break with a fourth mini-break. 

Medjedovic broke twice in the third and seventh games to win the second set 6-2. 

Medvedev broke in the fourth game of the third set to open up a 4-1 lead. Medjedovic broke back in the eighth game to draw level to 4-4. Medvedev broke for the second time in the 12th game to close out the third set 7-5. 

Medvedev won his first title on clay in Rome last year. He is seeking to defend a tour-level title for the first time in his career. 

Medvedev has now reached the Round of 16 at all five Masters 1000 tournaments this season. 

“I felt like I started the match well and then in a way it was going downhill. My serve was not there, my shots were not aggressive enough when I needed to. Because many times I would like to play the rhythm I played, but I would like from time to time to surprise my opponent with some good shots. Today I was not able to do it. At one moment in the match I thought what I was doing would not be enough to win the match, so I am happy that even by playing not my best I could win. Tomorrow I am going to try to find my best tennis”, said Medvedev. 

Medvedev set up a fourth round match against Tommy Paul, who beat Dominik Koepfer 6-4 6-4. 

Sebastian Baez came back from one set down to beat Holger Rune 2-6 6-2 6-3. Baez has reached the fourth round of a Masters 1000 tournament for the first time in his career. 

The Argentine player has scored his third top 10 win after beating Cristian Garin in Cordoba and Andrey Rublev in Bastad in 2022. 

Baez set up a Fourth round match against Hubert Hurkacz, who beat Tomas Martin Etcheverry 7-6 (8-6) 6-2. 

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