Russian Tennis Star Kasatkina Denies Allegiance Switch After Flag Error

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Russian tennis star Daria Kasatkina‘s management has denied claims that she switched her nationality after a flag error at the Abu Dhabi Open draw ceremony sparked speculation. The world No. 11 was mistakenly listed as representing Spain, prompting concerns about potential repercussions from Russian authorities.

Kasatkina’s team told BBC Sport that the error could have “strong implications” for the player, who has been vocal about her opposition to Russia‘s invasion of Ukraine and its anti-LGBTQ+ policies. “It is incorrect, and we can categorically deny she is switching to Spain,” her management said. Tournament organizers later apologized, calling the incident an “entirely administrative mistake.”

The 27-year-old, who lives in Dubai and trains in Spain, has not returned to Russia in over two years. In 2022, she publicly came out as gay and criticized the war in Ukraine, describing it as a “complete nightmare.” Her outspoken stance has made her a target of scrutiny in her home country, where the Supreme Court recently labeled the “international LGBT movement” as an “extremist organization.”

Kasatkina’s management emphasized that the flag error was “potentially quite harmful” and could be misinterpreted by Russian authorities. “This carries some strong implications for Daria if the Russian authorities feel she is trying to switch — which she is not,” they said.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russian and Belarusian athletes have been banned from competing under their national flags in most international sports. Kasatkina has been playing as a neutral athlete on the WTA Tour. She is seeded third in the Abu Dhabi Open, which begins Monday.

Kasatkina’s career record stands at 390-220, with a 6-3 record this season. Despite the controversy, she remains focused on her performance in the tournament, where she aims to build on her strong start to the year.