Tennis star Daria Kasatkina openly discussed her dating life, revealing she dated women. It emerged that her partner is renowned athlete Natalya Zabiyako, a figure skater. In a conversation on the YouTube channel Be careful, Sobchak, the athletes spoke candidly about their relationship.
It was hard to live a double life
Kasatkina explained that during childhood and adolescence there was nothing in her surroundings that could push her toward a non heterosexual orientation. She noted that orientation is something that cannot be forced.
It was tough to live with a hidden identity. She wanted to be fully herself and stop concealing anything.
When Kasatkina decided to share a photo with the person she loves, she did so without overthinking others’ opinions.
She described a long journey to self acceptance, influenced by social pressure. It was only recently that she stopped worrying about external judgments. Her parents were supportive when she opened up about her identity two years ago.
You fear sharing because you expect condemnation
The situation differed for Natalya Zabiyako, who could not disclose her feelings for over a decade and faced negative reactions from her family. The athlete recalled that such revelations came as a disappointment to them.
I realized about 10 to 11 years ago that she liked girls, but sharing this with someone close was the hardest part. The fear of being rebuked by someone dear was the worst part.
Life felt cramped, as if a windowless room pressed in from every side. There was a sense of wrongness, even the thought of marriage looming over the future. A marriage did occur, to director-screenwriter Daniil Grinkin, but it did not endure. Zabiyako says the marriage failed in part because her partner wanted her to stay home, support the family, and suppress her ambitions to perform in ice shows after her competition years.
You feel it, yet there is nothing you can do
The two women recalled how their acquaintance began. Zabiyako took the first step, sending a message to Kasatkina without overthinking it.
Deeply drawn to him, Zabiyako sent a wish of good luck for a tournament and expressed that she was following his matches. Later, in the autumn, Kasatkina traveled to Moscow for a tournament, and their communication grew closer.
When asked if there was a palpable energy, Kasatkina laughed and said it was mild but real.
You simply feel it, and there is no way to stop it. No propaganda ban can help here, Kasatkina reflected.
She also noted receiving support from outsiders, including a message from the singer Zemfira who called her confession courageous. Kasatkina emphasized that she does not view her openness as propaganda. She is not afraid to return to Russia, as she has publicly shared her orientation, and she believes she would not be denied entry to the country.
They took away my dreams
Beyond personal life, Kasatkina voiced critique of the ban on athletes competing under neutral status at international events. She said that the leadership of Russian sports had robbed her of the dream of competing under the Russian flag.
Roland Garros stands out as the only Grand Slam where a country’s flag is raised, the anthem is played, and the champion stands on the podium with the trophy outside the Olympics. It is a tradition she finds meaningful, yet she cannot call herself a true patriot if that flag is not hers in those moments.
As a child, her ultimate dream was simple: to stand beside the trophy, watch the flag rise, and hear the national anthem. That dream, she said, was taken away.