After an intense year on the tennis tour, Daria Kasatkina cut her 2025 season short in September, citing the need for rest and recovery. It was a milestone year in the 28-year-old’s career.
After announcing she would represent Australia in all events moving forward in March, Kasatkina became the top-ranked Australian women’s player, before finishing 2025 as No.2 behind Maya Joint. The combination of a demanding schedule and the personal challenges that came with switching nationalities led to the Russian-born player calling for some time out.
“The first six weeks after China Open, I took a break,” Kasatkina told The Sit-Down. “Very well-needed break because I was destroyed mentally, so I really needed this break … I [feel] like I am recharging.”
Recharging came in the form of soul-enriching experiences, like spending time with family and friends and enjoying the festive spirit of the holiday season. “Unfortunately, on tour we don't get many opportunities to celebrate things,” said Kasatkina. “So, for me, when I've got a chance to decorate a Christmas tree, it's [an] important thing to me.”
The break has given Kasatkina the breath of fresh air needed to return with gusto to compete in Australian Open 2026 as part of the Aussie contingent. While this isn’t the first Slam in which she’ll be representing the green and gold (Kasatkina played under the Australian flag at Wimbledon and Roland Garros in 2025), this will be the first time she will represent Australia at a home Slam, with a new barrage of local supporters there to cheer her on.
“I announced that I'm going to represent Australia and I'm … super proud to represent the country, which accepted me quite … easily,” she related.
Aside from her love for Australia’s nature, coffee and locals, the move meant Kasatkina could finally show up as her truest self.
“My [nervous] system was overstimulated for the past four years, where probably my brain said, finally we can breathe. Finally, we can relax a little bit.”
Following years of reflection, Kasatkina speaks of rewiring her thought process in order to support her journey back to happiness. “I've been working a lot with the therapist and psychologist, it's been a full year trying to understand myself, because before it was about sacrifices and basically suffering,” she explained.
“And now I have to change it to joy and [doing] what I love and just being free. Wild and free.”
Kasatkina has always played some of her best tennis on Australian soil. She broke new ground at Australian Open 2025 when she advanced to the fourth round at Melbourne Park for the first time, was a finalist in Adelaide in 2024 and lifted one of her eight WTA trophies at the Phillip Island WTA 250 event in Melbourne in 2021.
This success adds to her affection for competing in the Australian summer. “Australia has such a good spot in the calendar,” she said. “It is the first Slam of the year. Everyone is fresh, happy. [It’s an] unbelievable place.”
Luckily for Kasatkina, she has the support of not only her fiancée, Estonian-Russian retired Olympic figure skater Natalia Zabiiako, but also the entire Australian nation.
“I really appreciate all this support and acceptance I got from Australia,” said Kasatkina, who will launch the 2026 season at the Brisbane International.
“Finally, I can say that it's a fresh start. Ready to go, you know? Completely.”