Tennis player Darja Kassatkina has publicly come out as homosexual. She is the second Russian professional athlete to do so.
The Russian top tennis player Darja Kassatkina (25) has made her homosexuality public. In an interview with blogger Witja Kravchenko, she spoke openly about the associated difficulties in her home country and criticized the fact that there were some “taboo subjects” there.
Discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community is not the biggest problem. It means a lot to Kassatkina to talk about “taboo subjects” such as homosexuality. “It’s important for young people who are struggling with society and need support,” she explained. “It’s important that influential people from sport or any industry talk about it. That helps.”
A role model for this is the soccer player Nadezhda Karpova (27). She was the first Russian athlete to come out as gay in June. Kassatkina was very happy about that, she said. Not only for the footballer, but “also for other people, especially women, who need to know that”. With her outing, she “certainly gave others strength” and helped many, thinks the tennis star.
“The road has been blocked”
In Russia it is difficult to live out your homosexuality publicly, the tennis player continued. In the meantime, she had the feeling that the country was “getting closer to the West,” but she currently has little hope of improvement. “The road has been closed. Road works,” she remarked cynically.
When asked by Kravchenko, Darya Kasatkina confirmed that she currently has a girlfriend. On Monday evening with the Russian figure skater Natalja Sabijako (27) and hurt her with a heart.
It was impossible for the tennis player to keep her sexuality secret forever, she admitted in an interview with visible relief. It’s too tiring. That’s why she thinks everyone should come out. In what form and how much you want to reveal is up to you. “Being at peace with you is all that matters. Screw everyone else.”
Darya Kassatkina is twelfth in the world tennis rankings and is currently the best player in Russia. She holds four Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) titles and seven International Tennis Federation (ITF) titles. At the French Open in July 2021, she made it to the semifinals of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in her career.
Source: Stern
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